While wishing that the BJP government lasts for five years, Bhardwaj said: “Yeddyurappa’s functioning has been very satisfactory, but the same cannot be said of his ministers.”

The Governor, who was on his way to a resort in Lakkavalli, spoke to reporters at a hotel on Monday. “The Chief Minister has been working hard, but some of his ministers have not remained as ministers, but have turned into businessmen,” he remarked and yet again warned that he would be forced to step in and take the reins of governance to protect the welfare of the people.

“Constitutionally, I am the head of the State and I have the authority to correct the government,” he said, defending his decision to interrogate the Reddy brothers. He said he was aware, but chose to ignore the snide remarks made by some ministers appointed by him. “I know they call me a ‘Congress agent’ and ‘Opposition party’. But my aim is to make Karnataka a model state in the country and I work for about 18 hours in a day for achieving this,” he averred.

Irregularities in varsities

Governor Bhardwaj, who is also the Chancellor for universities in the State, said the Government would set right all the irregularities being reported from various universities.
Referring to the irregularities in Mysore University, he said: “Even the Prime Minister is very interested in the development of Mysore University, so the government is doing everything in its capacity to make amends.”

He added that he was not in support of filing a criminal case against former Vice Chancellor Shashidhar, but has instead directed the present VC of Mysore University to set right the irregularities in the appointments made during the tenure of the previous VC.