Krishna's resignation is unfortunate: Manjunath

Former MLC and president of the SC wing of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee N Manjunath has urged KPCC and AICC leaders to convince former chief minister S M Krishna to return to the party fold. Addressing a media conference here on Tuesday, he said that among those who contested the 1962 Assembly polls, only S M Krishna and H D Deve Gowda are active. He said Krishna’s resignation from the Congress, which was his home for 46 years, is unfortunate.

“Krishna is a towering personality. Since 1968, among 17 chief ministers, he is the most popular besides D Devaraj Urs. While Urs brought Indira Gandhi to Chikkamagaluru when the Congress was in trouble, Krishna brought Sonia Gandhi to Ballari under similar circumstances. He still respects AICC president Sonia Gandhi. She should send senior leaders to meet Krishna to convince him to return to the party,” he said.

Manjunath said Krishna is an asset to the nation and strength for the Congress. “The support and guidance of senior leaders like Krishna, Jaffer Sharief, Janardhan Poojary and A H Vishwanath is necessary for the Congress. They might be offended due to certain issues. AICC and KPCC leaders and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should address their grievances,” he said. Most senior leaders in the Congress like KPCC president Dr G Parameshwara, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Education Minister Tanveer Sait were groomed by him, he said. “So, I also appeal to Krishna to review his decision and return to the party,” he added.

Nanjangud bypolls
Speaking about reports in the media that the Congress is left with no suitable candidate for the Nanjangud bypolls after the resignation of former minister V Srinivas Prasad who will contest on a BJP ticket, Manjunath said he is opposed to any candidate from outside the party.

There were reports that the Congress would field Kalale Keshavamurthy of the JD(S) since PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa’s son Sunil Bose was not in a position to contest after the arrest of senior engineers T N Chikkarayappa and S C Jayachandra by the CBI in connection with the currency racket case. But later, Keshavamurthy was declared the JD(S) candidate.

“Ex-MPs Kagalavadi M Shivanna and A Siddaraju, who represented Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency, under which Nanjangud Assembly constituency has been included, can be fielded,” he said.

Besides, Manjunath offered to contest, if given an opportunity. He is the son of T N Narasimha Murthy, a native of T Narsipur, also under Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency and member of the Legislative Council for six consecutive terms. However, Shivanna was elected as MP in 2004 on a JD(S) ticket and Siddaraju was a JD nominee in 1996 and 1998. Now, both are in the Congress.