BJP complains to Prez about Bhardwaj, seeks recall

New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI)Taking their battle to RashtrapatiBhavan, a BJP team led by L K Advani today met PresidentPrathibha Patil and demanded removal of H R Bhardwaj asKarnataka Governor accusing him of "acting as a Congressagent" to topple the BJP government by his "unconstitutionalconduct".

The BJP delegation including 23 party MPs from Karnatakagave a memorandum detailing a host of charges againstBhardwaj, whose latest action of sanctioning prosecutionagainst Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, has led to an openconfrontation.

Party leader M Venkaiah Naidu accused Congress highcommand of being the "mastermind" behind the whole Karnatakaepisode and said Governor Bhardwaj was just "carrying out" itsplans.

The chief minister, who came here for consultations withcentral party leaders yesterday, was, however, not part of thedelegation as he had left for Bangalore last night aftermeeting Advani and Arun Jaitley.

"We appealed to the President to recall the KarnatakaGovernor as he has been exhibiting an extra-constitutional andconfrontationist attitude," Advani told reporters aftermeeting the President.

The BJP stalwart added: "In the memorandum, we have givenseveral instances, wherein, it is evident that right from thebeginning he has been harbouring a political agenda".

Terming 73-year-old Bhardwaj''s appointment as a step to"end democracy" in the country, the BJP said the "mindset andconduct" of the governor was motivated by "extraneous andcollateral purposes, less as a Constitutional functionary".

The BJP told the President that "a Governorcannot have "malafide for political reasons and substitutehimself as commission of enquiry or the Lokayukta". (MORE) PTIAN SPG VMN

In the memorandum, the BJP has mentioned several public statements made by the Governor against the chief minister andrued that "such statements are typically made in public onlyby Opposition leaders and not by a Constitutional head of thegovernment".

Advani also reminded that a BJP delegation led by ArunJaitley and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swarajhad appraised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the matter afew months back.

Naidu warned of "chaos across the country" if theCongress and the Centre continue supporting the Governor"without applying their mind".

"If Governors want to rule like this, go against themandate of the people, not do their constitutional duty thenthere will be chaos across the country", the Karnataka MPsaid.

JD(U) president and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, speakingto reporters seperately, assailed the Governor over his actionagainst Yeddyurappa and told him that his role was notappropriate and he should stay "within limits".