Quit Cong, UPA due to Rahul Gandhi's interference: Former Union Minister SM Krishna

Former External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Saturday alleged that he had to quit the Manmohan Singh-led government and the Congress party due to constant interference by Rahul Gandhi.

The former Congressman who is now in the BJP alleged that the Gandhi scion 'issued diktats without holding any post neither parliament nor governance'.

Speaking at an event here, the BJP leader said, "I was external affairs minister for 3.5 years and Manmohan Singh had no say over that portfolio. Rahul Gandhi was then a nobody, not even a general secretary. He issued diktat that those who turned 80 can't be a minister. When I heard that, I submitted my resignation and came to Bangalore."

Krishna also criticized Rahul Gandhi for once tearing an ordinance and said, "There were matters that were never brought to the notice of even the ministers. The Cabinet was in discussion over passing an ordinance. But Rahul Gandhi who was somewhere in public tore a copy of the ordinance to bits. This is what they call extra-constitutional authority. He (Rahul Gandhi) was not answerable to anyone - neither Parliament nor governance."

Alleging further that the environment was not conducive for governance during UPA rule, Krishna blamed compulsions of coalition politics for alleged scams during Manmohan Singh-led government.

"In my second tenure during UPA, I was minister for External Affairs. I was also part of the Cabinet joint responsibility framework. It was not a conducive environment for governance. There was a coalition government and because of that nobody could say anything to the other about their conduct. Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister but had no control over his Cabinet colleagues. It was during that period that scams broke out," said Krishna.

Krishna also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leading the country on a path of development and for his biggest contribution of a scam-free government.

SM Krishna who hails from Karnataka was the state Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004. He joined the BJP in 2017 after having spent decades in the Congress party.