Yeddyurappa cancels emergent cabinet meeting

Bangalore, Jan 21 (PTI) With the BJP high command notkeen on precipitating the strain between the Karnataka ChiefMinister and the Governor, B S Yeddyurappa cancelledtomorrow''s cabinet meeting to chart out action against H RBhardwaj.

"Tomorrow''s emergency cabinet meeting has beencancelled," Yeddyurappa told reporters after the BJP CoreCommittee meeting which decided to launch a series of protestsfrom tomorrow against the Governor, seeking his immediaterecall for "insulting the people of the state".

Though he did not attribute any reason for cancelling themeeting, party sources said the decision was taken as per thedirective of the BJP high command, which did not want toprecipitate the already soured relations between itsgovernment and the Governor.

Yeddyurappa said he was in receipt of the reply sent tohim by Bhardwaj in response to the January 19 cabinetresolution asking him to drop proceedings to prosecute theChief Minister and also to his last night''s missive.

The party demanded an unconditional apology from Bhardwajfor his remarks yesterday that the state cabinet resolutionamounted to a thief admonishing the police.

Irked at Bhardwaj''s comments against his government,Yeddyurappa had yesterday hit out at him describing theremarks as "sweeping and highly biased" and demanded anunconditional apology to the people of the state.

"I don''t want to react to the Governor''s reply now,"Yeddyurappa told reporters when his reaction was sought overBhardwaj dismissing the cabinet resolution as "unwarranted".

Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa had announced that anemergent meeting of the state cabinet would be held tomorrowto discuss the fresh developments.

The agenda before the cabinet was not known, but partysources said the government was contemplating adopting aresolution seeking immediate recall of the Governor.