Karnataka polls: SM Krishna attacks Congress candidate selection process

BANGALORE: Making no secret that he is hurt, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S M Krishna today attacked the candidate-selection process in his party for the Karnataka Assembly elections.

At a meet-the-press programme, organised by the Press Club of Bangalore and Bangalore Reporters' Guild, Krishna said he had taken active part in candidates selection process since 1972, adding that the selection panel then used to have 15-16 members who used to engage in serious discussions.

He said the panel this time had close to 60 members -- including himself -- which he termed as "unwieldy".

"I was very surprised to see the list (with nearly 60 names). Can we finalise candidates with such a big panel? That's why I did not go to the (panel's) meeting," Krishna said. "It (the big list) left me cold."

Asked if the Congress has failed to encash the "fixed deposit" (good work done by him when he was the Chief Minister between 1999-2004), he said, "It's cleverness, intelligence and political astuteness to reap the dividends of good work done by erstwhile leaders. Those who say it's not required, it's their loss. It's not a loss to those who earned it."

The former Chief Minister refused to predict which party would come to power.

"It's difficult to expect people's verdict. People don't share secret (as to whom they will vote). Sometimes, polls go wrong because people who are approached give misleading information," he said.