Bengaluru: In what is being seen as a huge body blow to the Siddaramaiah government, which faces fresh elections in just over a year, Karnataka’s iconic former Congressman S. M. Krishna, who severed ties with the Congress on January 29, will finally shut the doors on his parent party and in the presence of BJP bigwigs, become a full-fledged card carrying member of the BJP on March 17 or 18.
At a closed door meeting that lasted for nearly 40 minutes at Mr Krishna's home in upscale Sadashivanagar, where he was closeted with a beaming state BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa and former deputy CM R. Ashok, the BJP top duo formally invited the senior leader to join the BJP.
Sources close to the meeting said that Mr. Krishna, flanked by his wife Prema, and close aides, reportedly accepted the BJP's invitation to join the party in the presence of BJP national president Amit Shah in Delhi. After the meeting with the former Union minister, Mr. Ashok said that it was "a big day for BJP" and that "the meeting was a big success". Sources said that the embittered veteran former Congressman, upset over being sidelined and ignored, has vowed he will work with the BJP to win all 28 seats in Bengaluru city, while also agreeing to throw his weight behind saffron candidates in the two upcoming bypolls in Nanjangudu and Gundlepet, and win his own hunting ground the Old Mysore region for the BJP, which has no presence there.
In the days to come, Mr. Krishna will head out to Nanjangud constituency and campaign for BJP candidate, former minister Srinivasa Prasad, sources said, adding it would be a big morale booster to the party, " as the party has very weak organizational base in old Mysuru region and we were looking for a potential leader to strengthen the party."
State BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa and R. Ashok with former CM S.M. Krishna and his wife Prema Krishna in Bengaluru on Monday. (Photo: DC)
The face of Mr. Krishna, a Vokkaliga will help the party to open its account in Mandya and peripheral Bengaluru, the source said, adding that educated voters in Bengaluru still recall the developmental works undertaken by Mr. Krishna when he headed Congress government in 2002 that took the city into the 21st century. "He will help the BJP in the coming Assembly elections," the source said. BJP has decided to make Mr. Krishna's joining of the BJP, a huge national event to embarrass the Congress, with insiders saying Mr, Krishna has also waited for an opportunity to give a "fitting reply" to the party for ignoring his presence in recent past.
Mr. Krishna who won the hearts of Bengaluru for providing once world class infrastructures facilities and better roads to the city, advised the BJP top leaders that the party must win all 28 seats in 2018 Assembly elections. He also said that BJP has dedicated cadres, and by using their services they could win all 28 seats, sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa also praised Mr. Krishna during his stint as the Chief Minister in state. He recalled developmental works in Bengaluru city during Krishna's period.
Mr. Krishna was deeply critical of the Congress, saying it had hit rock-bottom and had completely lost the confidence of the voters. Due to lack of vision of Congress leaders, party was disconnected from all sections of society.
He also said that he will definitely show his strength to the Congress in coming days, sources in state BJP said.
Mr. Krishna reportedly heaped praise on the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that demonetisation and surgical strike against terror launching pad in Pak occupied Kashmir, were bold decisions by the Prime Minister, sources said.
