Former Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna, who resigned from the Congress party in January, will join the Bharatiya Janata Party, BY Yeddyurappa, the president of the state unit confirmed on Saturday. He said the senior leader “is joining [the BJP] 100%”, but has yet to decide the timing, reported NDTV.

Krishna had quit the Congress saying the party did not need him anymore. “They only want managers, who can handle a situation,” the leader had said after tendering his resignation. Krishna had said that he was “pained” that he had been sidelined in the party and that his age was cited as the reason for it

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He was associated with the Congress for more than five decades. He was the chief minister of the state between 1999 and 2004. Karnataka unit leaders had expressed their surprise at his resignation. State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said he did not know about the former Union external affairs minister’s decision.

Several Congress leaders had urged him to reconsider his decision. Yeddyurappa had then said that if Krishna joined the BJP, it would strengthen the party in the state.