The BJP on Tuesday, April 10, offered to field a member of senior leader S M Krishna’s family in the upcoming polls, in an effort to keep the former chief minister happy. Earlier in the day, it was reported in certain media that Krishna would quit BJP and will join Congress soon.
Krishna, a Vokkaliga, who was chief minister from 1999 to 2004 under Congress regime, quit the party in January last year and formally joined the BJP in March. He had cited the reason of being sidelined as a mass leader. But since joining the BJP, Krishna was only seen during a Parivarthana Yatra in Mandya in January this year and then at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Bengaluru in February.
“If any of Krishna’s family member is willing to contest, the BJP is ready to give the ticket to any Assembly seat in either Mandya or Bengaluru,” BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka told reporters.
Krishna has two daughters – Shambhavi, who is married to liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s stepbrother and Malavika, married to businessman V G Siddhartha. Krishna had considered fielding Shambhavi in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
“Krishna is not leaving the BJP. He is not in India right now, but I spoke to a friend of his. He is expected back home on April 13. We will discuss the election issue with him then. I am hundred per cent sure that Krishna will not leave. He is committed to strengthen the party,” Ashoka added.
Ashok also criticized Congress on the Krishna issue. “I have seen in the media Congress shedding crocodile tears. When Krishna left them, no one shed a tear. Today, knowing they will lose the election, Congress is feeling the need for a leader like Krishna. I congratulate the Congress for the wisdom has finally dawned on them,” he said.
