The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today stepped up counter-pressure and demanded that the Union government recall Governor H R Bhardwaj, after Bhardwaj on Monday recommended dismissal of the BJP-led government in the state.
“Notwithstanding the ministerial offices he held in the past, H R Bharadwaj was never perceived to be a respecter of democratic and constitutional institutions. Extra-constitutionalism was his firm belief and the use of extra constitutionalism to demonstrate loyalty was always his political strategy,” the party has said in the memorandum given to the prime minister.
“The governor, H R Bhardwaj, has utterly failed to detach himself from his political past and proved himself completely unworthy of the high constitutional office that he holds. Even when he was appointed a governor, his appointment did not inspire confidence,” said Arun Jaitley after meeting the prime minister. Senior BJP leader LK Advani headed the delegation, which included, Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, besides senior leader Venkaiah Naidu, among others.
BJP further alleged in the memorandum that Raj Bhawan provided an easy access to politicians of the Congress Party, JD(S), and some preferred businessmen. “In recent weeks, Bhardwaj had converted the Raj Bhawan into the epicentre of political conspiracy to encourage horse trading and to destabilise the democratically-elected state government,” Jaitley said.
Coming out in defence of Karnataka Speaker K G Bopaiah, senior BJP leaders argued if a person elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly on the symbol of a political party decided to relinquish the membership, the MLA was liable for disqualification.