The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said the reason for former external affairs minister S.M. Krishna's resignation from the Congress party is due to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's style of functioning which has left several senior leaders disenchanted with the party functionaries.
"Disenchanted with the Siddaramaiah's style of functioning, senior leaders are quitting the party. It is sending wrong signals to the voters and people of Karnataka. S.M. Krishna has earned very good reputation and was widely popular more among the urban voters. He was being neglected by the party and was not considered for any of the activities holding in Karnataka," BJP leader S. Prakash told ANI.
The BJP leader further said that Siddaramaiah is not being able to take the party seniors or his compatriots along with him.
"And this will increase in the coming days. Congress will have to pay very dearly for all this desertion," he added.
S. M. Krishna yesterday tendered his resignation from the party membership.
In a letter to Congress president Sonia, he said "I am herewith tendering my resignation to the primary membership of the Congress Party."
More From This Section
The 84-year-old first became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1968 from Mandya.
Krishna led the Congress to victory in Karnataka in 1999 and served as the chief minister till 2004.
He also served as the governor of Maharashtra for the period 2004-2008.
Krishna was also made the minister for external affairs in Dr. Manmohan Singh's cabinet, and resigned from it in 2012.