Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna made scathing remarks against the Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Krishna said that Rahul's constant interference in the party matters forced him to quit the Congress and join the BJP
Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister and once a senior Congress leader, but now a BJP member, SM Krishna said he was forced to quit the Congress because of Rahul Gandhi. Krishna said that Rahul would constantly interfere in all matters even though he wasn’t the party’s president at the time.
Krishna, who was the external affairs minister in the Manmohan Singh government, alleged that Rahul had issued an order stating that those who had reached 80 years of age must not be allowed to hold any ministry.
Also watch: SM Krishna: Quit Congress because of Rahul Gandhi
Addressing the BJP workers in Maddur, Karnataka, Krishna stated that upon receiving such a notice from Rahul, he decided to quit the Congress despite serving the party for over 45 years.
“From 2009 to 2014 when I was the external affairs minister, there was a suffocating environment in the party. I was handling the portfolio efficiently for three-and-half years.
But Rahul issued an order that leaders who reached 80 years should not hold any ministry. I was disappointed and resigned,” said Krishna.
Krishna also stated that many subjects were taken up without the Prime Minister Singh’s consent. He also went on to say that the Congress had no control over the alliance parties in the UPA government and it was around this time that scams like 2G spectrum, Commonwealth Games and coal scam (Coalgate) were all reported.
He also stated that Singh had no control over his Cabinet and the government as everything was controlled by Rahul.
The octogenarian was one of the closest aides of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He held key ministerial positions at both the Centre and the state. The party had appointed him as the 19th governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008.
Krishna resigned as a member of the Congress in January 2017, after being with the party for about 46 years and went on to join the BJP. In December 2017, Rahul officially took over the Congress president from his mother Sonia Gandhi.
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