Former Karnataka CM SM Krishna to join BJP today
Former Karnataka CM SM Krishna will be joining BJP in the presence of party chief Amit Shah in Delhi. In an effort to make a comeback, Karnataka BJP Chief BS Yeddyurappa wanted the former Congress senior to campaign for BJP for Nanjangud and Gundulpet seats. Krishna was expected to join BJP two weeks ago, but couldn't do so as his sister had passed away.
S. M. Krishna, former Karnataka Chief Minister and the Congress party's senior most member, announced his retirement from politics yesterday, taking the Congress party by surprise. Krishna, aged 84, reportedly wrote a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi regarding his resignation. Krishna refused to speak to the media yesterday, but explained his decision today at a press conference.
S. M. Krishna, while explaining his decision, hit out at the Congress today, saying that the party "doesn't need mass leaders these days, they only want managers who can handle a situation". Krishna said that he was "pained" by how the Congress had sidelined him due to his age. However, he would stick to his decision despite the "pain and anguish" it caused him.
As soon as the news about Krishna's resignation broke on Saturday, the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), G. Parameshwara, and Karnataka energy minister, D. K. Shivakumar, rushed to Krishna's residence. Krishna, however, was away, attending a function at the Bangalore Palace. Interestingly, Krishna did not attend the KPCC-organized Jana Vedana programme against demonetization at the same venue earlier that day.
Born on 1st May, 1932, in a village in the Mandya district, Karnataka, Krishna completed his B.A. from Maharaja's College, Mysore, obtained a law degree from University Law College, Bangalore, and went on to study law in the US. On his return, Krishna was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962, and since then, he has served in various capacities under the Congress.
Krishna served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999-2004, after steering the Congress to a victory in the state in 1999, and is often credited with putting Bengaluru on the global map. He served as the governor of Maharashtra from 2004-2008. From 2009-2012, he served as the Minister of External Affairs under the UPA government, and returned to state politics in 2013.
Karnataka unit president BS Yeddyurappa announced that veteran Congress politician SM Krishna would soon join the BJP. SM Krishna recently quit the Congress and alleging that he had been sidelined by Congress because of his age. He further declared that his importance in Congress was dwindling "as the Congress no longer required mass leaders and wanted only managers."
Karnataka BJP President B S Yeddyurappa stated to the media that former Congress leader SM Krishna will join the BJP on 15 March. He said Krishna would be inducted into the party in the presence of BJP National President Amit Shah and other central leaders in Delhi. However Krishna is yet to officially comment on the matter.
