As the chief minister (between 1999 and 2004), Krishna had been charged by many with being biased towards the country's Silicon Valley, Bangalore, but now the 76-year-old is playing a different tune.
Criss-crossing the countryside in the run-up to the first phase of assembly elections on May 10, Krishna has been emphasising the state's overall development and growth acceleration. Will this George Washington University Fulbright Scholar be able to weave his magic?
Rakesh Prakash catches up with him as he travels along with his daughter Shambavi to address a political rally near Chikkaballapur, 60 km from Bangalore. Excerpts:
From the lush green lawns of Raj Bhavan to the bumpy rides in poll-bound Karnataka, how are you roughing it out?
I have done it for years. As Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi has entrusted me with the task of coasting the party to victory at the hustings, it is quite challenging.
Why were you brought back to Karnataka? Was the Congress weak without you?
A party need not be seen as a weak one when the top-brass decide to bring back a person with a proven track record to head a mission. Moreover, that is a negative perspective. I am more interested in the politics of plusses than negatives.
There was more opposition from within the party against your return. How have you handled it?
These are some self-centred people who made a hue and cry about my return and appointment as election coordination committee chairman. I am not bothered about their opposition.
When the Congress top leader requests me to resign and take up newer responsibilities, what is the credibility of these people who oppose me? Does Sonia require a clearance from these people to depute me to head the mission? Their claims are rubbish.
What is the mission you are talking about?
It is about making an effort to bring the Congress back to power in Karnataka.
Wasn't it too late for the Congress to depute you to fight? What are the challenges you face in the mission?
I only wish I had more time on my hands. But sometimes events overtake you and your planning goes for a toss. I am struggling to make up for lost time by hopping from one constituency to another requesting people to vote the Congress to power. If I had more time, I would have visited many more places.
The 2004 elections were a disaster for you, what corrective measures have you taken this time?
I don't call it a disaster. It is just that we missed victory by 2 per cent. In terms of seats won by the party it can be read as a debacle, but in terms of gaining popular support, the percentage of votes polled by the Congress did increase.
The sad part was that smaller parties with lesser percentage of vote share managed to get more numbers. This time, we want to add 3 per cent or 4 per cent of votes and get an absolute majority.
How confident are you of gaining a majority?
People are disillusioned about coalitions. The two experiments made in the state were a total disaster. Hence, I have a feeling that people will vote for a single party government this time. That is where Congress becomes important, it will occupy the driver's seat.
But you party was also a part of the coalition set-up. In fact, development took a backseat when you party leader N Dharam Singh headed the Congress-JD(S) coalition. With such a history, how can you sell hope to the people?
It is true that development suffered. But the reality is that coalition partners never thought of development. Most of the energy and time of these coalitions were devoted to survival.
As a result, development became a casualty. On the economic front, Karnataka has seen a downward slide. Its potential has not been really charged. We need a government that will exploit Karnataka's potential by focussing on areas where we are slipping and strengthening areas where we are strong. On selling hope, the Congress has a track record of providing stable government. It gives us credibility when we talk of a stable government. That's why we are asking people to vote for stability.
But this election does not have major issues for the political parties to fight over....
It is quite true. Unlike the 2004 elections where the threat of drought and restlessness of the farming sector dominated the electoral battle, this time the polls are being held under normal conditions. So, development, which should be the offshoot of stability, has become the issue. BJP insiders claim that their performance would peak in the third phase of polls. How does the Congress read it?
Overall we will get a majority. All the phases put together, we will do well.
But why have you chosen not to contest this time?
By contesting, I did not want to send out a signal that I am tied down to a particular constituency. Now, nobody can accuse me of belonging to just one single geographic location. I belong to all the 224 constituencies.
By not contesting, are you defining your future role or are you scared of losing?
(Laughs...) There are nearly half a dozen constituencies in the state where I would have won without campaigning. My home constituency Maddur was eagerly waiting for my arrival. I would have won from any of the 28 constituencies in Bangalore.
Some of your family members in your home constituency are working against the Congress. Isn't it a pointer to the weakening of your home base?
It is true that there have been problems in the family in Maddur, it will be sorted out, hopefully. Moreover, we do not belong to the regimental kind of setup where family members have to toe the line of the elders. We have to give liberty to them to take their own stands.
What about the top-heavy state Congress unit? Won't it affect the party's performance in the polls as there are too many leaders aspiring for a few posts?
I don't think so.
Do you aspire to become the chief minister if the party comes to power?
No.
Normally the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president becomes the chief minister, does it mean that the present president Mallikarjun M Kharge gets a chance to become CM?
The Congress has certain set procedures, we will go by that.
What if the Congress high command insists on you becoming the CM?
Now, I am not contemplating beyond the elections. Let the party get a majority, we will decide then. I have come here with a special mission, to ensure the party's victory and set the stage for the Lok Sabha elections.
But favouritism in distribution of tickets has caused heartburn in the party, won't it affect the performance?
It might in a few constituencies, but time is going to heal people's wounds. People will come back.
What if there is a fractured verdict?
I don't think so. People have seen what kind of disaster coalitions can cause.
But your political b
