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New Delhi, March 22
Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party chief Amit Shah.
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.
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.
“I am deeply humbled that I am joining a political set-up which has given a great glory to the country and I would like to rededicate myself to the cause of the nation under the banner of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Krishna told the media here.
BJP president Amit Shah while welcoming Krishna in the party said his contribution is appreciable and that the former Congress stalwart is a great asset of the nation.
“On behalf of BJP I welcome him. His contribution will make our position strong in Karnataka,” he said.
Krishna had put off his plan to join BJP last week after the death of his sister.
Though he had reached New Delhi to hold consultations with Shah and to join the party, he had to rush back to Bengaluru after hearing the news of her death.
A trusted aide of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Krishna is credited with setting up Bengaluru as the nation’s IT hub. Later, he returned to Karnataka, hoping to play a role in state politics
