Rousing welcome for S M Krishna in Bangalore

Veteran Congressman S M Krishna, who resigned as Governor of Maharashtra recently, was given a rousing reception on his arrival in Bangalore.

Thousands of party workers from various parts of the State had thronged the HAL airport in Bangalore to welcome Krishna, a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, who will be returning to active politics in the state after a hiatus of almost of four years. Krishna arrived at the airport on Monday along with his wife and two daughters.

Krishna, who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Congress party’s Election Management and Co-ordination Committee, is expected to oversee the party’s election strategy in the forthcoming assembly polls.

Soon after his arrival in Bangalore, Krishna cut short the plans of his followers to take him in an open motorcade and instead chose to address the party workers at a venue near the airport. “I am overwhelmed with the reception. I had not expected so many people to come”.

“I have returned to state politics on the directions of the party high command to strengthen the party. We will work unitedly to build a beautiful India and Karnataka”, Krishna said.

Former Minister D K Shivakumar, who was among the large contingent of party leaders present to receive the former Chief Minister, said the people of Karnataka need a leader like Krishna. “Right from the common man to the farmer to a businessman, they are all looking forward to a leader like him”, he said.

Though Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M Mallikarjun Kharge was conspicuous by his absence at the airport, he made up by calling on Krishna at the latter’s residence at Sadashivanagar in Bangalore in the evening.

When Krishna’s attention was drawn to the discordant notes heard in the party over his return to state politics, the former Chief Minister said the Congress party was like an ocean, where there are many cross currents. “But, the main current is Sonia Gandhi”, Krishna said.