Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and former Maharashtra Governor SM Krishna on Friday announced his retirement from active politics and public life.
A senior BJP leader, Krishna has been keeping away from active politics for quite some time. His announcement comes months ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election.
SM Krishna's political career
“I am 90 years old now. We should be aware of age. You cannot act like a 50-year-old at 90. That's why I am withdrawing from public life,” Mr SM Krishnasaid.
“It does not mean that I will become a monk completely. If the party or the leaders seek my advice on party organisation, I will be available. There is no question of ignoring me when I am choosing to retire,” he said when asked about being sidelined by the party.
Mr Krishna first became a member of Parliament in 1968 from Mandya. He had a more than 40-year-long stint with the Congress. He was the Union Minister in both the Indira Gandhi and the Rajiv Gandhi's cabinets and was a cabinet minister in the Manmohan Singh's administration.
He also worked as the State Congress president. Mr Krishna led the Congress to victory in 1999 and served as the Chief Minister till 2004. He also served as the Governor of Maharashtra.
