Comeback: SMK leaves it to AICC

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Politely refusing to play the role of ‘Bheeshma’ for the Congress, as it gears up for a comeback to power in the 2013 Assembly polls, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna asserted that he always believed in performing tasks assigned to him by the AICC than choosing one for himself.

In the epic, Mahabharata, Bheeshma, grand uncle of the Pandavas and Kauravas, plays the role of an elder statesman. Mr Krishna, who served as Karnataka CM from 1999-2004, was reacting to pleas made by his Congress colleagues that he should make a full fledged return to state politics. Speaking at the KPCC delegates’ meeting here, former KPCC working president D.K. Shivakumar said elections cannot be fought and won by those who confine themselves to a single role. "We need those who can play multi roles— One needs to have the righteousness of Dharmaraya, the magnanimity of Karna, the accuracy of Arjuna and the tactics of Lord Krishna to win elections," he said heaping praise on Mr Krishna. KPCC vice president, B.L. Shankar felt Mr Krishna should assume the role of Bheeshma to catapult the party to power.

Mr Krishna responded that his only ambition was to see the Congress return to its original glory and for this, he was ready to play any role assigned by the AICC. He observed that the Congress can survive if leaders have differences but cannot if workers develop differences.

“I appeal to party workers to ensure the victory of the Congress, instead of becoming pawns in the hands of leaders," he said. Launching a tirade against the ruling party and Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, the external affairs minister said the BJP's fate was sealed as the electorate was fed up with reports of ministers heading to jail or applying for bail. "How can a state progress when it has three CMs in 4 years and its ministers are queuing up before prisons? The ruling party could attract only 6 per cent of the Rs 4 lakh crore investments promised at GIM 2010, which proves industry has turned its back on them," Mr Krishna said.

Training his guns on the CM, he wondered if a government existed? "They have not solved the ration card problem yet. I hope the poor get ration cards at least when the grandchildren of Mr Shettar are born!" he remarked.