Senior BJP leader S.M. Krishna, who was External Affairs Minister in Manmohan Singh’s Cabinet, on Saturday accused All-India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi of interfering in governance during the UPA rule at the Centre.
Mr. Krishna also said that Mr. Gandhi’s interference and the decision of keeping those over 80 out of the Cabinet prompted him to quit the UPA II regime and later, the Congress.
The veteran leader was addressing BJP workers here. He said that Mr. Gandhi was “nothing” during the UPA rule, but despite that he interfered in the workings of Mr. Singh’s government. Once Mr. Gandhi tore an ordinance Mr. Singh was about to table in Parliament, Mr. Krishna claimed.
He said there were many aspects which Mr. Singh was unaware of. The country witnessed many scams during the period, including the Commonwealth Games scam, 2G and coal mining scam, Mr. Krishna said, adding, “The country witnessed a revolution in the form of the general election results of 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ensuring scam-free governance and everyone should work for the BJP’s victory in the 2019 general elections.”
The former Chief Minister also described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as “Dharmaraya” and ridiculed the ‘Mahagatbandhan’ (Grand Alliance), calling it a group of over 20 political parties, with no clarity on leadership, formed to face the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. “Don’t limit yourselves to raising slogans for the party and Mr. Modi. Strive hard to win the Mandya Lok Sabha seat to strengthen the hands of the party,” he said.
He was given a rousing welcome by BJP workers on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway before entering the town from Maddur. Earlier in the day, he addressed party workers at his home town of Maddur.