Bangalore: Former CM M Krishna on home turf, thrilled

Times of India

Bangalore, Mar 18: His return to politics from the gubernatorial post was in the air for a year. On Monday, when he stepped out of HAL Airport having finally shed the Maharashtra governor’s post, S M Krishna’s initial reaction to the large turnout of party workers was: “It feels good to be back in action. I’m very happy, overwhelmed by the response.’’ 

Appointed president of the party’s Election Management and Coordination Committee, Krishna chose to do so some traffic management to begin with.

Sources close to him said Krishna had asked the police and Congress leaders to ensure minimum inconvenience was caused to motorists. 

To prevent all workers descending at the airport, the programme was organized at a nearby ground. 

Repeated appeals were also made by Congress leader D K Shiva Kumar not to cause inconvenience to the public. However, smooth flow of traffic was affected on Airport Road. Though there was no gridlock, the vehicular movement was slow. 

Acknowledging the workers’ welcome, Krishna said: “Congressmen in Karnataka have always blessed me. I’m grateful to the abundant love and affection they have showered on me.’’ 

At the airport and all along Airport Road, buntings and banners had been put up to welcome Krishna. Congress leaders N Dharam Singh, R V Deshpande, R L Jalappa, G Parameshwara, Ramalinga Reddy, A Krishnappa, H M Revanna, T B Jayachandra, V Somanna, Saleem Ahmed and Tejaswini Gowda received him at the airport. 

Sources said KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to come to the airport, but Krishna invited him to his residence. Later, a stream of party members, including B L Shankar and former Union minister C M Ibrahim, met him at his residence. Ibrahim, who is expected to join the Congress, is reported to have discussed about retaining the minority votes in the party. 

Krishna will visit M M Hills on Tuesday and later call on the Siddaganga mutt seer in Tumkur. 
Before flying to Bangalore, Krishna was given a ceremonial guard of honour by the Navy at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

Ex-CM invokes Sonia and Rahul Gandhi

Bangalore: Taking no cognizance of reservations in some Congress quarters on his return to active politics, former Maharashtra governor S M Krishna on Monday described his party as an ocean with some crosscurrents. 

“The Congress is an ocean. There will be crosscurrents sometimes. But the main current is the Sonia Gandhi effect and Rahul Gandhi impact,’’ Krishna told reporters here to a query on the dissent towards him. 

Krishna’s close aide D K Shiva Kumar had earlier remarked: “Thunder, lightning, wind and rain are common in Nature. They also get cleared after some time.’’ 

Speaking to The Times of India on his brief as Election Management and Coordination Committee chief, Krishna said: “To coordinate the efforts of every Congressman.’’ Whether the functions of the other two panels — campaign and election committees — overlapped with his, he said: “Karnataka is a vast state. The Congress does not run on bureaucratic lines.’’ 

Earlier, addressing the party workers gathered in large numbers at the HAL Airport, Krishna said he had returned to the state politics on the orders of party chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul. “They ordered me to return. Without uttering a word, I resigned from the governor’s post and came here as a worker to do my bit.’’ 

Krishna hinted at undertaking a padayatra during the poll campaign. He said: “Those who have strength will go on padayatra. Old people like me will accompany them holding their shoulders.’’ 

Acknowledging the efforts of the state Congress leaders in preparing for the polls, he said: “Organized efforts are underway for elections. I will offer my bit to it.’’ 

Calling upon workers to be prepared for the elections, he said the party workers and lakhs of youth who had joined the party had given him the confidence to face elections. 

He said the Centre’s programmes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the farm loan waiver had brought some qualitative change in the farmers’ life. “I request you to spread the essence of budget to each and every household in the state. But we have a long way to go. Our aim is to create a beautiful India and Karnataka for our children and grandchildren. The Congress has a special affection towards the downtrodden farmers, dalits and artisans,’’ he added.