S M Krishna calls on Sonia Gandhi

{image-sm krishna_30052008.jpg news.oneindia.in}New Delhi, May 30: Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna today called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her about the political scenario in the state where the party failed to encash upon the anti-incumbency factor in the recently concluded assembly polls.

Sources said the meeting of Mr Krishna with the Congress president assumes importance as he had to resign as Maharashtra Governor to come into state politics. Leader of Opposition L K Advani had stated in a television interview that the performance of the Congress in Karnataka would have been much better if the party were to project him as its choice to counter BJP's B S Yeddyurappa.

Party observers see two main reasons behind this meeting.

Firstly the Pradesh Congress Committee in Karnataka will have to elect a new President to replace Mr M Mallikarjuna Kharge who has been chosen to lead 80-member Congress Legislature Party.

Second possible reason is to discuss the party's Rajya Sabha candidates for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections which could not be held in the state as the Assembly was in a state of dissolution.

Three Congress Rajya Sabha Members including former Union Minister of State for Planning M V Rajasekharan, senior Congress leader B Janardhana Poojari and Mrs Prema Cariappa have retired after completing their term. The Congress with 80 MLAs can return one Rajya Sabha member on its own and can retain the second seat with little support from outside the Congress.

UNI