CM meets Guv, tries to break ice

Yeddyurappa, accompanied by Home Minister V S Acharya and Law Minister Suresh Kumar held discussions with the Governor for about 45 minutes at Raj Bhavan. The meeting assumed significance as the Governor has been attacking the BJP government over the mining issue.

Bhardwaj returned to Bangalore on Thursday after meeting President Pratibha Patil and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and raising the issue of continuance of Reddy brothers, facing charges of illegal mining, in the State Cabinet.

The meeting is seen as an attempt by the State government to break the ice with the Governor. Yeddyurappa told reporters that he explained to the Governor that the Lokayukta is already probing the issue of illegal mining. Besides, additional powers are being given to the Lokayukta to conduct the investigation. Ordering a CBI probe at this stage will result in inordinate delay.

Without offering his response on the issue, the Governor is said to have told the Chief Minister that Karnataka was one of the best administered states. However, law and order situation in Bellary needs to be improved, he is understood to have told the Chief Minister.
Yeddyurappa said he also informed Bhardwaj on the conduct of Opposition parties which disrupted the proceedings in the legislature over the mining issue.

Instead of participating in debates, the Opposition parties have been disrupting legislature proceedings for the last five days which is most unfortunate, undemocratic and unconstitutional, Yeddyurappa said.