The State BJP unit went on the offensive Monday, criticising Governor H R Bhardwaj for his recommendation to the Centre to impose President’s Rule in the State as unconstitutional and demanding that he be recalled.

The State Cabinet reiterated its decision to convene the extended budget session of the Legislature from June 2 for 10 days and sought the Governor’s approval.

After passing an unanimous resolution demanding the Governor’s recall, members of the BJP legislature party staged a dharna in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue to press their demand. The legislature party described the Governor’s recommendation as “against the spirit of Constitution” and “without any substantive reasons.”

The BJP legislature party also passed a resolution reposing its confidence in Yeddyurappa’s leadership.

The party, however, dropped its plan to protest in front of Raj Bhavan at the last minute.
Addressing the party legislators, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa said the party has 121 members in the 224-member Assembly. “He (Governor Bhardwaj) stopped our MLAs from entering Raj Bhavan, while asking Congress leaders to enter from the back door. He has converted Raj Bhavan in Congress Bhavan...He is trying to de-stabilise the BJP government,” Yeddyurappa fumed.

He said he was aware of the Governor’s plan to recommend dismissal of the Government on Sunday evening and hence, he wrote to the President of India asking her not to accept his report, well in advance.

It is first time in the history that a Governor is against the Legislature session. The Government wants to debate development, seek the Legislature approval for the Budget and implement all programmes expeditiously, he added.

Later, briefing reporters about the Cabinet meeting, Law Minister S Suresh Kumar said the Cabinet expressed anguish at the Governor’s recommendation and took serious exception to the move as there were no grounds for imposing President’s Rule in the State.

On the Cabinet decision to convene the session, he said the government felt it necessary to convene the session as the legislature had to approve the Budget 2011-12. The Raj Bhavan has so far not said anything on the earlier Cabinet decision to summon the session from May 16, he added.

Suresh Kumar said he had tried to contact Bhardwaj on May 13 to explain and convince him on the need for convening the session.

“The Governor was at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi on that day. The Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary informed the Governor’s ADC that the Law Minister would like to have a word with the Governor. After making me wait for seven minutes, I was informed that the Governor has left Karnataka Bhavan without leaving any message,” he explained.

What they said...

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa

The Governor’s action amounts to an affront to the pride of people of the State and the mandate given to BJP. The Congress bosses in Delhi are using the Governor to commit anti-Constitutional acts. I will not allow the murder of democracy. Even now, I am ready to prove my majority, if the Governor asks me.

Dhananjaya Kumar, former MP

The BJP Legislature Party meeting resolved that the number of  party MLAs in the Assembly is 120 after the Supreme Court judgment, and that every member reposes confidence in the leadership of Yeddyurappa. The meeting also resolved that the Centre should recall Governor H R Bhardwaj for acting against the spirit of the Constitution.

Law Minister S Suresh Kumar

I made sincere attempts to contact Governor H R Bhardwaj on May 13 to explain and convince him on the need for summoning the Legislature session. The Governor was at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi that day. The Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary informed the Governor’s ADC that the Law Minister would like to have a word with the Governor. After making me wait for seven minutes, I was informed that the Governor has left Karnataka Bhavan without leaving any message.