Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 28: A television channel has reported that former chief minister of Karnataka and union minister for external affairs, and former governor, S M Krishna, has decided to retire from active politics. It is said that he sent in his resignation from Congress party too, to national president of the party, Sonia Gandhi.

It is said that in the letter, Krishna has clarified that he has decided to keep distance from all kinds of active politics and that there is no question of renewing his membership of Congress party too.

As per report, Krishna will be explaining the issues leading to his decision for retirement from politics at a press conference he would be addressing on Sunday.

S M Krishna was the chief minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. He later became the governor of Maharashtra and also served as minister of external affairs in the then UPA government.

As the news broke out, apparently surprised state Congress leaders said they were not aware of the development and rushed to his residence to meet Krishna who was away at a function. "I am not aware of it. If it is true, I can't even believe it. I do not want to react now," KPCC President and state Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters.

"We had not sidelined him in any matter from any angle. He is one of the most likeable leaders of our party...the party had not sidelined him," he said. State Congress Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao also said he had no information. "Without officially knowing I can't react. "Krishna is a senior leader who has always played politics with dignity. He has always played positive politics," he said.

The development has hit the Karnataka Congress at a time when a section of partymen are unhappy over the style of functioning of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also facing an aggressive BJP which is hoping to stage a comeback to power in the 2018 Assembly polls.

With PTI Inputs