Coalition era in K'taka over: Krishna

Former chief minister S M Krishna on Tuesday said the era of 'coalition governments' in Karnataka is over as people are keen on a stable government that can take up development and welfare programmes. "For the last four years, people of this state have experienced pain under the coalition set up. My impression is that people will not deliver a fractured verdict during the next assembly polls. They are looking for a stable government and Congress is geared up to meet their aspirations," said Krishna, who has been appointed the chairman of the state election management and coordination committee.

The fractured verdict in 2004 assembly elections led to the formation of three coalition governments of which one did not last more than a week. Though the first two coalition governments, one between Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the other between JD(S) and BJP lasted for about 20 months.

"Instability was the order of the day in the absence of any programme, long-term development plans and priorities. People want a government that can herald economic growth of the state," Krishna, who returned to active politics after a three-year stint as Maharashtra governor, told reporters.

Krishna said his mandate was to bring the Congress back to power. "I am going to campaign vigourously to complete the unfinished task of 2004, when the party could not return to power after winning a landslide in 1999 assembly election," he added.

When asked if he would be a contender for the chief minister's post again in the event of Congress securing majority, Krishna said: "in line with the party's tradition of going to poll under collective leadership, no particular leader will be projected as a chief ministerial candidate. Such decisions are taken only after the verdict."