Former Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna on Wednesday, January 4, said that he was retiring from active politics. Citing his age as the reason for retirement, the 90-year-old leader said, “I got to know of discussions about me not being seen much (publicly), we all should be aware of our age, at the age of 90 we cannot act as though in our 50s. Respecting that age factor, I’m gradually stepping aside from public life.”

When asked whether he would be seen at party meetings on the invitation of the BJP, which is focusing on the Old Mysuru region for the Assembly polls in April-May, he said he would decide on it when the situation arises. On talks that he was being sidelined by the party in the Old Mysuru region, he said, “When I’m retiring, there is no question of either being sidelined or neglected. I have voluntarily decided to move behind the screen, so there is no question of being sidelined.”

The veteran leader, who is from the dominant Vokkaliga community, hails from Madduru taluk in the Mandya district, a part of the Old Mysuru region. His retirement gains significance as the BJP, which is considered to be weak in the Vokkaliga community-dominated region, is focusing on this belt to gain a full majority in the 2023 Assembly polls. The Old Mysuru region is seen as a bastion of the JD(S), where the Congress is strong too, but the BJP is trying to make inroads. The region consists of nine districts — Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru.

Answering if  BJP would be successful in its attempt to strengthen the party in these districts, Krishna said, “Such efforts are on, to what extent it will be successful will be known in the days to come.” Regarding the demand of Vokkaligas to hike reservation from 4% to 12% and his suggestions to the government in this regard, he said, “When I’m asked I will give my suggestion, I will not force myself on them, to give suggestions…I will share my opinion when it is required.”

SM Krishna was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka, from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004 (from Congress). He had served as Governor of Maharashtra and was the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government from 2009 to 2012. A law graduate, he studied in the United States graduating from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and The George Washington University Law School in Washington DC, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. Krishna started his career in electoral politics in 1962 by winning the Maddur Assembly seat as an independent by defeating Congress’ KV Shankar Gowda. He was then associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining Congress. Krishna had served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from December 1989 to January 1993. He was also a member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at various times from 1971 to 2014.

He was a member of both Karnataka Assembly and Council, and also had served as Deputy Chief Minister (1993 to 1994), and was Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president ahead of the 1999 Assembly polls in which the party won and he became the Chief Minister.

Krishna is credited by many for putting Bengaluru on the global map, as a fillip given to the IT sector during his tenure has resulted in the city growing as ‘India’s Silicon Valley’. The 90-year-old leader joined the BJP in March 2017, ending his nearly 50- year-long association with the Congress.