Governor should go, says Yeddyurappa

Bangalore, Jan 24 (PTI) Stepping up his attack onGovernor H R Bhardwaj for his sanction to prosecute him, ChiefMinister B S Yeddyurappa today firmly demanded that he shouldbe recalled and said the BJP was contemplating filing adefamation case against him for his outbursts against thegovernment.

Levelling a fresh charge against the Governor,Yeddyurapa said, "We have information that all the petitionssubmitted to him against the government were drafted in RajBhavan".

"It is better for him (the Governor) and also for thestate that Bhardwaj looks at a state which is convenient forhim to live and go there", Yeddyurappa, whose Government andGovernor have been having a running battle for long, toldreporters.

Yeddyurappa charged that ever since Bhardwaj assumedthe office of the Governor, he has been relentlessly workingto tarnish the image of the BJP Government.

The Chief Minister said Bhardwaj should tender an''unconditional'' apology for his offensive remarks made againsthis government and blamed the Governor for the "losses thestate suffered during the January 22 bandh".

"The provocative remarks of the Governor areresponsible for the bandh, which the people voluntarilysupported and observed", he said.

The BJP was contemplating whether it can file adefamation case against the Governor for his outbursts againstthe elected government and other options to wage a legalbattle against him, he said.

The Governor had dismissed as "the thief chiding thepolice" the state cabinet January 19 resolution which hadasked him to drop prosecution proceedings, to which an angryYeddyurappa has taken strong exception.

To a pointed query on whether he would challengelegally the sanction given by the Governor to prosecute him,Yeddyurappa said, "Our party elders will decide the issue inabout two days".

Yeddyurappa also mounted a vituperative attack onformer Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family membersand said they were yet to respond to his open challenge for apublic debate on the land scams they allegedly indulged inwhen they were in power.

"I will not allow them to escape. I will expose them.

I will present before people the illegal allotment of land totheir relatives by Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy has also granted mining licences to hisrelatives", Yeddyurappa alleged.