Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Karnataka chief minister, SM Krishna, was admitted to Bengaluru’s Manipal hospital with an acute respiratory tract infection, persons in the know of the development said on Sunday.
“Honourable ex CM, Shri S M Krishna is admitted in Manipal hospital, airport road Bengaluru. He has acute respiratory tract infection. He is under the care of Dr Satyanarayana Mysore HOD Pulmonology and Dr Sunil Karanth HOD intensive care and a broad speciality medical team. He is on minimal respiratory supports and in a cheerful frame of mind. His health status is being monitored by health minister Dr Sudhakar,” the hospital said in a statement on Sunday.
Krishna was the state chief minister between 1999-2004, governor of Maharashtra in 2004 and later served as the minister for external affairs between 2009 and 2012.
Born on May 1, 1932, Krishna did his graduation from Maharaja’s College, law degree from Government Law College, Bangalore and then pursued his education in Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA. and later at George Washington University.
Back in India, he worked as a professor of lnternational law in Renukacharya Law College, Bangalore. He was first elected to the legislative assembly in 1962 and to the Lok Sabha in 1968 and became a member of the fourth Lok Sabha. He was elected to the fifth Lok Sabha too, but preferred to return to state politics in 1972, when he was elected to the Legislative Council and inducted as minister for commerce, industries and parliamentary affairs, a charge he held between 1972 and 1977. In 1980, he returned to Lok Sabha and was made minister of state for industry during 1983-84, and minister of state for finance during 1984-85.
{{/usCountry}}Back in India, he worked as a professor of lnternational law in Renukacharya Law College, Bangalore. He was first elected to the legislative assembly in 1962 and to the Lok Sabha in 1968 and became a member of the fourth Lok Sabha. He was elected to the fifth Lok Sabha too, but preferred to return to state politics in 1972, when he was elected to the Legislative Council and inducted as minister for commerce, industries and parliamentary affairs, a charge he held between 1972 and 1977. In 1980, he returned to Lok Sabha and was made minister of state for industry during 1983-84, and minister of state for finance during 1984-85.
{{/usCountry}}He became the speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1989, a post he held till 1992. He became deputy chief minister of Karnataka in 1992. Elected to Rajya Sabha in 1996, he was its member till October 1999.
He was chief minister of Karnataka from October 1999 to May 2004. Krishna took oath as governor of Maharashtra on December 6, 2004.
After almost five decades with the Congress, SM Krishna joined the BJP in March 2017.
“Former chief minister and senior leader, SM Krishna has been admitted to the hospital due to illness and I pray to god that he gets better and gives the people his guidance and fortune of public service,” Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said after he visited the senior leader in the hospital on Sunday.
“I wish former chief minister SM Krishna, who is hospitalised due to illness, gets well soon,” Siddaramaiah, the leader of the opposition, said.