Kharge started reminiscing about his time in the state in the late 1990s, when he was upstaged by a newcomer.
Published Jul 28, 2025 | 10:50 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 28, 2025 | 11:35 AM
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Synopsis: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recalled how he missed being the Chief Minister of Karnataka despite winning an election for the Congress.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge recalled how he missed being the Chief Minister of Karnataka despite winning an election for the Congress.
Speaking at a programme in Vijayapura on Sunday, 27 July, Kharge started reminiscing about his time in the state in the late 1990s, when he was upstaged by a newcomer.
Kharge, who has been Congress president since October 2022, is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka since 2020 and has served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House since October 2021.
Kharge noted that even though he brought the Congress to power in Karnataka, SM Krishna was made the chief minister.
“As a Legislative Party leader, I did everything I could to bring us to power. The government was finally formed. As soon as we came to power, SM Krishna, who joined just four months ago, became Chief Minister,” Kharge said.
“All my service was washed down the drain. I felt that I worked tirelessly for five years. But the person who came just four months ago got the position of the chief minister,” he added.
Krishna was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. Kharge served as a minister under him and other chief ministers till he contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Nolan Patrick Pinto.)
