Krishna as CM could have saved party

AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Prithviraj Chavan, however, contended that in the 2004 Assembly elections Krishna had been the obvious chief ministerial candidate but it didn’t help. “Besides, we wanted to project a broad-based social coalition, instead of projecting a particular community leader,” said Chavan.

After its experience in the Gujarat Assembly election, where the Congress had launched a “faceless campaign”, there has been a debate within the party on projecting a CM candidate in Assembly elections. A section of the party also believes though the Congress should not run a faceless campaign in the general elections when the BJP has already declared LK Advani as its prime ministerial candidate.

According to Congress sources, the party High Command’s decision to accept Krishna’s resignation as Maharashtra Governor turned out to be a “fatal error” as it only intensified rivalry in the already faction-ridden state unit. Most of the central leaders from Karnataka had opposed his return to active politics.

“Everyone could see that Krishna would be the obvious choice for the top post if the party won and so nobody showed much interest in campaigning. Leaders concentrated on ensuring the success of their candidates, instead of the party’s,” said a Congress leader from Karnataka.

Krishna-baiters in the party, however, pointed out that the former CM was a “mere paper tiger” as he could not ensure the party’s victory on his home turf of Mandiya district, including Maddur Assembly seat from where he used to contest.

Meanwhile, a section blamed the party’s defeat on “strange” ticket distribution. The decision to deny tickets to their relatives had caused heartburns to several central leaders.