"I felt that I worked tirelessly for five years," Mallikarjun Kharge said.
- Mallikarjun Kharge regretted missing the Karnataka Chief Minister post despite winning elections
- He recalled being Legislative Party leader in Karnataka in the late 1990s
- SM Krishna became Chief Minister shortly after joining Congress in 1999
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress chief and Gandhi family loyalist, voiced regrets on how he missed being the Chief Minister of Karnataka despite winning an election for the Congress.
Speaking at a programme in Vijayapura, Mr Kharge started reminiscing about his time in the state in the late 1990s, when he was upstaged by a new-comer.
"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" Mr 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.
SM Krishna was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. Mr Kharge served as a minister under him - and other Chief Ministers till he contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.
In 2022, Mr Kharge - widely seen as the candidate approved by the Gandhis -- became the chief of Congress, winning the organisational election in a contest against Shashi Tharoor.
It was widely believed that caste played a big role in picking SM Krishna for the top post at the cost of sidelining Mr Kharge's SC background despite his seniority and contributions. SM Krishna hailed from the Vokkaliga community -- a historically dominant caste in Karnataka.
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