Virtually serving an ultimatum to the Governor, Mr H.R. Bhardwaj, the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, has threatened to plunge into agitation against the Governor’s action recommending President’s rule in Karnataka if he fails to give his approval by this evening for convening the Assembly from June 2.
“By this evening, news should reach me (from Raj Bhavan) that approval has been given for the (legislature) session,” Mr Yeddyurappa told reporters here today, a day after a brief bonhomie between the two amid a raging political war.
Otherwise, the Chief Minister said he would embark on a state-wide tour on an open-jeep addressing roadside rallies to build public opinion from tomorrow.
A Ministerial delegation, led by Mr Yeddyurappa, met the Governor yesterday and requested him to convene the session to pass the full budget.
Mr Bhardwaj told him that he was awaiting the Centre’s decision on his recommendation to impose President’s rule and asked the Chief Minister to wait for a “day or two” on the issue of his approval for the session.
On the Congress planning to stage a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue here today seeking sacking of the Government, Mr Yeddyurappa came down heavily on the JDS supremo, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, and the KPCC President, Mr G. Parameshwara, for “trying to exert pressure” on the Governor to dismiss the Government.
He flayed the Congress for its campaign seeking the ouster of the BJP Government, saying the main Opposition party is not honouring the people’s mandate, seeking to topple a duly elected Government.
The Congress neither has the capacity nor strength to face the people, he said, noting that the BJP had won all the three Assembly by-elections recently.