With the BJP high command not keen on precipitating the strain between the Karnataka Chief Minister and the Governor, B.S. Yeddyurappa cancelled Saturday’s cabinet meeting to chart out action against Mr. H. R. Bhardwaj.
“Tomorrow’s emergency cabinet meeting has been cancelled,” Mr. Yeddyurappa told reporters after the BJP Core Committee meeting which decided to launch a series of protests from Saturday against the Governor, seeking his immediate recall for “insulting the people of the state“.
Though he did not attribute any reason for cancelling the meeting, party sources said the decision was taken as per the directive of the BJP high command, which did not want to precipitate the already soured relations between its government and the Governor.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said he was in receipt of the reply sent to him by Mr. Bhardwaj in response to the January 19 cabinet resolution asking him to drop proceedings to prosecute the Chief Minister and also to his Friday night’s missive.
The party demanded an unconditional apology from Mr. Bhardwaj for his remarks that the state cabinet resolution amounted to a thief admonishing the police.
Irked at Mr. Bhardwaj’s comments against his government, Mr. Yeddyurappa had hit out at him describing the remarks as “sweeping and highly biased” and demanded an unconditional apology to the people of the state.
“I don’t want to react to the Governor’s reply now,” Mr. Yeddyurappa told reporters when his reaction was sought over Mr. Bhardwaj dismissing the cabinet resolution as “unwarranted“.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Yeddyurappa had announced that an emergent meeting of the state cabinet would be held on Saturday to discuss the fresh developments.
The agenda before the cabinet was not known, but party sources said the government was contemplating adopting a resolution seeking immediate recall of the Governor.
