K'taka: Center rejects Guv's recommendation for Prez's rule

New Delhi, May 23: In a snub to Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj, the Centre rejected his recommendation for imposition of President's rule in the state, exactly a week after he escalated tensions with the ruling BJP there.

The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs(CCPA) presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, shortly after the conclusion of the second anniversary celebrations of the UPA-II Government.

"The CCPA met on Sunday, May 22 to discuss the Karnataka Governor's report and after careful consideration decided not to accept his recommendations," Home Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting.

Even as it rejected his report, the CCPA has asked the Home Ministry to write to the Karnataka Government bringing to its notice the issues mentioned by the Governor.

An advisory will be issued, Chidambaram said and hoped that the state government will take note of it.

This may be one of the rare instances when the Centre has rejected the recommendations of a Governor for imposition of President's rule.

The BJP earlier in the day pressed the UPA government to reject by tomorrow evening Bhardwaj's recommendation failing which the party warned it would go on a nation-wide agitation.

Hinting that his patience is running out, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa also appealed to Prime Minister Singh to reject the recommendation before embarking on his foreign trip tomorrow.

Bhardwaj, a senior Congress leader and a former Union Minister who was appointed Governor less than two years ago, has been having a running battle with Yeddyurappa and the BJP in the state.

Late last year too he had recommended dismissal of the Government in the wake of the Speaker's action but that was overtaken by a floor test in the Assembly on his directions.

In the wake of the Supreme Court quashing the disqualification of 11 BJP and 5 Independent MLAs by Speaker K G Bopaiah, the Governor had last Sunday sent a ''special report'' to the Centre recommending dismissal of the Yeddyurappa Government and keeping the Assembly in suspended animation.

PTI