Krishna quits Raj Bhavan, hits bumpy road to Karnataka
Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna resigned as the Governor of Maharashtra on Wednesday to return to active Congress politics in his poll-bound state.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna resigned as the Governor of Maharashtra on Wednesday to return to active Congress politics in his poll-bound state.
Although he has been trying to emerge as the party���s chief ministerial candidate, cold response to his move from most of Karnataka senior party leaders may force him to play second fiddle to PCC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, perhaps as party���s campaign committee head.
Mr Krishna, who met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday night, submitted his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday evening.
For the records he told reporters that he would work as an ���ordinary Congressman��� and was not eyeing any particular post.
Ever since the collapse of the BJP-JDS coalition government in Karnataka, Mr Krishna has been repeatedly requesting the party high command to allow him to return to the state politics, a wish that was granted at last.
Mr Krishna���s return can give new twist to the faction-ridden state Congress. It is no secret that almost all senior Congress leaders from the state had expressed their reservation to his re-entry plans.
It is their common antipathy to him that helped Mr Kharge retain his PCC post. While the Krishna camp says the former chief minister���s profile could be an asset for the party in the elections, his critics see him more as a liability.
While the Krishna camp plays his Vockaliga caste card to speak of his tactical utility for the Congress, the rivals say despite his projected caste-tag, Mr Krishna could never weaken Mr Deva Gowda���s grip on that community despite being the Congress chief minister for five years.
They further argue that in the event of another hung Assembly, Mr Krishna���s known rivalry with Mr Gowda could become a problem in a possible post-poll Congress-JDS deal-making attempt.
Critics also argue that Mr Krishna���s track-record as chief minister could also provide some ammunition to the opposition to target the Congress during Assembly election campaign.
Although he has been trying to emerge as the party���s chief ministerial candidate, cold response to his move from most of Karnataka senior party leaders may force him to play second fiddle to PCC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, perhaps as party���s campaign committee head.
Mr Krishna, who met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday night, submitted his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday evening.
For the records he told reporters that he would work as an ���ordinary Congressman��� and was not eyeing any particular post.
Ever since the collapse of the BJP-JDS coalition government in Karnataka, Mr Krishna has been repeatedly requesting the party high command to allow him to return to the state politics, a wish that was granted at last.
Mr Krishna���s return can give new twist to the faction-ridden state Congress. It is no secret that almost all senior Congress leaders from the state had expressed their reservation to his re-entry plans.
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It is their common antipathy to him that helped Mr Kharge retain his PCC post. While the Krishna camp says the former chief minister���s profile could be an asset for the party in the elections, his critics see him more as a liability.
While the Krishna camp plays his Vockaliga caste card to speak of his tactical utility for the Congress, the rivals say despite his projected caste-tag, Mr Krishna could never weaken Mr Deva Gowda���s grip on that community despite being the Congress chief minister for five years.
They further argue that in the event of another hung Assembly, Mr Krishna���s known rivalry with Mr Gowda could become a problem in a possible post-poll Congress-JDS deal-making attempt.
Critics also argue that Mr Krishna���s track-record as chief minister could also provide some ammunition to the opposition to target the Congress during Assembly election campaign.
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