To appease S.M.Krishna, His kin offered BJP ticket

Bengaluru: BJP in an effort to pacify the former chief minister S M Krishna, who is said to have threatened to quit the party for “neglecting” him, have offered to field a member of veteran S M Krishna’s family in the polls.

S.M.Krishna who is a Vokkaliga and was the CM from 1999-04, had quit Congress in January to join the BJP in March. He had exited Congress claiming that the Congress was confused on whether it needed mass leaders or not. The only times S.M. Krishna (85) has been seen after joining BJP is at a Parivartana Yatra in Mandya (January) and then at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Bengaluru (February).

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka told reporters, “If Krishna’s family members are willing to contest, and BJP is ready to give the ticket to any Assembly seat in either Mandya or Bengaluru.”

“He is not in India right now, but I spoke to a friend of his. Krishna will come back on April 13 and we will discuss the election with him. Cent per cent, Krishna will not leave. He is committed to strengthen the party,” stressed Ashoka on Krishna’s not leaving the BJP.

“I’ve 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 added, taking potshots at Congress.