After quitting Congress, Krishna flays its leadership

Bengaluru: Taking potshots at Congress leadership a day after his exit from the party, former Karnataka Chief Minister and veteran leader S M Krishna today said it did not need “mass leaders” but only wanted “managers” as he complained of being sidelined due to his age.

“With pain and anguish, I have decided to quit Congress,” he stated, adding that “self-respect” was important for him but declined to spell out the next step, saying he would have to think about it.

Stating that Congress had suddenly discovered “I was past my age,” 84-year old Krishna said, “Unfortunately it is somebody else who makes up the mind. It is somebody else who decides. Hence I felt for sometime now that Congress does not need me.” 

“Congress today depends more on managers who can manage the party. They do not want time-tested leaders or time-tested workers like me. Hence I have taken the decision, however painful it has been because today I am going away from a house in which I was familiar,” said Krishna.

The former External Affairs Minister said he had seen both good and bad and tasted sweetness and bitterness in the party but he had always remained steadfast in his loyalty.

“But it now seems the Congress is in a confusion whether it needs mass leaders or not. Just managing the situation seems to be good enough,” he said.

Considered a charismatic leader with pockets of influence in the Vokkaliga belt in the old Mysuru region, Krishna had dashed off a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi conveying his decision to resign from the primary membership.

With his move, Krishna had stunned the party, which is facing challenges both at the central and state levels.

Caught off guard, the central and state leaders tried to persuade Krishna till the last minute before his press conference to step back, but he made it plain to them that he remained firm on his decision.

“I reminded the leadership that I am still in existence,” he said on a sarcastic note, adding, they said they took note of it.

On his next step, he said, “This (quitting) is a decision which I have taken without consulting anyone except my wife.

What my next step will be, I will have to ponder, contemplate, introspect and look around and take a decision.” 

Krishna also said he was not retiring from politics, adding, “The word retirement is not in my dictionary.” 

He said Sonia Gandhi had given him “special respect” but took veiled digs at the central leadership.

On the respect shown by Rahul Gandhi, he shot back, “I will not speak about Vice-President. I will speak about the President.”