New Delhi, Jan. 24: The battle between the B.S. Yeddyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka and the state Governor, Mr H.R. Bhardwaj, reached a crescendo on Monday with a BJP delegation led by the party patriarch, Mr L.K. Advani, calling on the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, to demand the Governor’s removal for his “unconstitutional conduct”.
While this battle was playing in New Delhi, the Chief Minister also had to contend with three more private complaints filed against him in a sessions court in Bengaluru.
The BJP delegation, which included senior leaders Mr Arun Jaitley and Ms Sushma Swaraj, besides 23 MPs from Karnataka, submitted a memorandum detailing a series of charges against the Governor.
It said Mr Bhardwaj’s removal had become imperative in order to restore constitutional order. He was accused by the BJP of being a “Congress agent” and attempting to topple the state government.
Mr Yeddyurappa, who has earned the dubious distinction of being Karnataka’s first Chief Minister to face prosecution for alleged acts of corruption while in office, had three more complaints filed against him.
All three cases relate to alleged illegal land deals. Besides Mr Yeddyurappa, his sons — Mr B.Y. Raghavendra, Mr B.Y. Vijayendra, the son-in-law, Mr Sohan Kumar, the former minister, Mr S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty, Mr Bharathi Shetty, MLC, and Mr D. Hemachandra Sagar, MLA, also figure in the complaints lodged by the advocate, Mr Sirajin Basha.
The complaints registered before the 23rd additional city civil and sessions judge, Mr C.B. Hipparagi, who is also the special judge for Lokayukta cases, listed three offences each relating to alleged illegal land deals.