After 50 years, SM Krishna leaves Congress for saffron shores

Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna will join the BJP tomorrow Yeddyurappa stressed Krishna had no expectations from his party.  

Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna will join the BJP tomorrow in Delhi, around seven weeks after he quit the Congress. "According to the information we have, SM Krishna will be joining the BJP tomorrow in Delhi," party sources said here.

Krishna would be inducted into the saffron party in the presence of its national president Amit Shah and other leaders, including Ananth Kumar and R Ashok from Karnataka, they added. 

Krishna was scheduled to join the BJP on March 15 but had to postpone it due to the death of his sister. Krishna (84) had announced his resignation from the Congress on January 29, saying the party was in a "state of confusion" on whether it needed mass leaders or not. 

Eighty-five-year-old Krishna, who resigned from Congress recently, had made it clear he was resigning from the Congress for their shoddy treatment of him and clarified he was not taking a political retirement. 

Yeddyurappa stressed Krishna had no expectations from his party. "He is a man who has enjoyed various important positions. He resigned only because he was treated badly. He respects Narendra Modi and believes Modi can serve the nation well. In that regard, he wants to join the BJP," he added.

Stating that SM Krishna enjoys popularity in Mandya, Mysuru and surrounding areas, Yeddyurappa reiterated many Congress workers who support Krishna, now want to leave the Congress.

Krishna, who was the Karnataka Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004, had returned to state politics after stepping down as then External Affairs Minister in 2012. He has also served as the Governor of Maharashtra.