Former Karnataka CM SM Krishna no more: Family

BENGALURU: Former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna passed away at his residence early Tuesday morning, his family said.

The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said.

"S.M. Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at 2:45 am at his residence. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today," the source said.

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is survived by his wife Prema and two daughters Shambhavi and Malavika.

Born in Somanahalli in Karnataka's Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna started his career in electoral politics in 1962 by winning the Maddur assembly seat as an independent.

He was then associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining the Congress.

He later joined the BJP in March 2017, ending his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress.

He announced his resignation from the Congress in January 2017, saying the party was in a “state of confusion” on whether it needed mass leaders or not.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences on his social media platform, by writing, "Deeply saddened by the passing of Thiru. S.M. Krishna avaru, a visionary leader and a stalwart of Indian politics. As Karnataka’s Chief Minister, he steered the state towards remarkable progress, and as India’s External Affairs Minister, he strengthened our global standing with statesmanship and grace. Thiru. Krishna shared a close bond with Thalaivar Kalaignar, dating back to the late 1960s, built on mutual respect and a shared vision for regional cooperation and progressive governance. My heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and @incindia cadre. His remarkable contributions will be remembered for generations to come (sic)."

Krishna in January last year announced that he was retiring from active politics, citing his age as the reason.

He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004, (from Congress).

He also served as the Governor of Maharashtra and was the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2009 to 2012.

A law graduate, Krishna studied in the US 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 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 several times between 1971 and 2014.

Krishna was a member of both the Karnataka Assembly and Council and also served as Deputy Chief Minister (1993 to 1994).

He 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 resulting in the city growing as India's Silicon Valley'.

(With inputs from Online Desk)