K'taka: Centre in no hurry to decide on Governor's report

New Delhi, May 16: The Centre appears to be in no no hurry to decide on the recommendation of Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj for imposition of President's Rule in the wake of Supreme Court quashing the disqualification of 11 party rebel MLAs.

Official sources said due process will be followed on the Governor's report and there is no urgency on part of the Home Ministry to expedite action on the report.

"The Governor has sent the report in a hurry. There is a sense in the government that Bhardwaj has exceeded his brief," the sources said.

They said there appears to be a personality clash between the Chief Minister and the Governor and this could be one of the reasons for sending the report just two days after the Supreme Court verdict. Nothing is going to happen soon, they said.

The Governor, who has a troubled relationship with the Karnataka Government, has sent a "special" report to the Centre yesterday recommending a spell of President's Rule and for keeping the Assembly in suspended animation.

The report from Bhardwaj came in the wake of Supreme Court reversing the Karnataka High Court decision of disqualifying 11 BJP rebel MLAs and five independents ahead of the October 10, 2010 floor test in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the NDA today decided to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand the Governor's dismissal and asked Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to parade all his supporting MLAs in front of the President.

"The NDA strongly condemns the action of Governor of Karnataka in sending a report to the Central government. The governor's conduct is partisan. It defies all constitutional norms and principles.

"There is absolutely no doubt that the Yeddyurappa government enjoys an overwhelming majority in the Assembly," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told reporters.

Yeddyurappa said the BJP had a majority in the House and the Governor was playing a political game at the behest of Congress and the JD(S).

PTI