BJP tells Prez recall Bhardwaj, 3 more complaints against CM

New Delhi/Bangalore, Jan 23 (PTI) A BJP delegation todaycomplained to President Pratibha Patil that Karnataka GovernorH R Bhardwaj was acting in an "unconstitutional" way anddemanded his recall, as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa facedthree more private complaints on alleged corruption.

Led by senior BJP leader, the delegation also handedover a memorandum to Patil and sought her intervention inconnection with the "tirade" against the state government byBhardwaj since the day he took charge in June last year andsaid his removal was a "must to restore Constitutional order".

The delegation also included Sushma Swaraj and ArunJaitley besides 23 BJP MPs from the state.

In all, five private complaints relating to illegal landdeals have been filed against Yeddyurappa, who became thefirst ever chief minister in Karnataka''s history to faceprosecution on corruption charges.

"We appealed to the President to recall the KarnatakaGovernor as he has been exhibiting an extra-constitutional andconfrontationist attitude. In the memorandum, we have givenseveral instances, wherein, it is evident that right from thebeginning he has been harbouring a political agenda", Advanitold reporters after meeting Patil at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The move to meet Patil comes in the wake of heightenedtension between Bhardwaj and Yeddyurappa after the Governorgranted sanction for proceeding gainst the BJP leader in acorruption case.

Terming Bhardwaj''s appointment as a step to "enddemocracy" in the country, the BJP said the "mindset andconduct" of the governor was motivated by extraneous andcollateral purposes, less as a Constitutional functionary andmore as a Congress activist.

Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu, a Karnataka MP,accused the Congress of being "instrumental" for the currentsituation in the state.

In fresh trouble for the Chief Minister, three moreprivate complaints were filed in a court in Bangalore againsthim and some of his family members on alleged corruption indenotification of lands.

The complaints, registered in the 23rd Additional CityCivil and Sessions Judge C B Hipparagi, who is also thespecial judge for Lokayukta cases, listed three offences eachrelating to alleged illegal land deals.

The complainant, Sirajin Basha, one of the two advocateswho had secured sanction from Bhardwaj for prosecuting thechief minister, has named Yeddyurappa as the common accused inall the complaints.

The name of the chief minister''s sons B Y Raghavendra,MP, B Y Vijayendra, his son-in-law Sohan Kumar, formerminister S N Krishnaiah Setty, Bharathi Shetty MLC, Dr DHemachandra Sagar MLA also figured in the complaint.

Intensifying his attack on Bhardwaj, Yeddyurappainsisted that "he should go" and said BJP was contemplatingfiling a defamation case against him for his outbursts againstthe government.

Levelling a fresh charge against the Governor,Yeddyurappa also said "we have information that all thepetitions submitted to him against the government were draftedin Raj Bhavan".