Cong veteran joins BJP

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 22

Marking another blow to the Congress, its veteran and former Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna today formally joined the BJP at its headquarters here. Krishna, who had left the grand old party in January, joined the saffron outfit in presence of party chief Amit Shah.

Though Krishna, 84, does not fit in the BJP’s age-limit rule of 75 years for ministers and chief ministers, the community he comes from — Vokkaliga — makes him an asset for the BJP trying to regain control of the state that is currently under the Congress’ rule.

BJP’s former Chief Minister of the state BS Yeddyurappa is from the powerful Lingayat community. Having a leader of the stature of Krishna also by its side, the BJP may now be able to also cover another key caste constituency in the state.

In any case, while welcoming him into the party, Shah assured Krishna his seniority would be duly respected in the party, making many sceptics remark about “treatment” meted out to party seniors now relegated to the “margdarshak mandal”.

Krishna, who announced his resignation from Congress on January 29, because of the “state of confusion”, was all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah and their leadership.

“They have taken the country to great heights. I am grateful today that I am joining the party which was led by the great leaders. I see great India emerging under the leadership of Modi and ably supported by Shah,” he said.

“I am deeply humbled that I am joining a political set-up which has given a great glory to the country. I would like to rededicate myself to the cause of the nation under the banner of the BJP,” he said.

A trusted aide of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Krishna returned to state politics after stepping down as then External Affairs Minister in 2012.