Protesting against Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's report to the Centre, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday took out a padayatra and held a dharna in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue demanding that the Centre recall the Governor.
BJP leaders, including senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu, Dharmendra Pradhan, K.S. Eshwarappa, Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and MLCs numbering to around 150, were among those present. Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who was initially part of the padayatra, left to attend the Cabinet meeting.
Holding placards, they raised slogans against the Governor and the Union Government. They described the Governor's decision as politically ill-motivated. Mr. Eshwarappa accused the Governor of employing every tactic to unseat the democratically elected BJP Government that has the support of 121 of 225 MLAs in the Assembly. Accusing the Governor of acting on behalf of the Congress, he said the decision to impose President's Rule was against the spirit of the Constitution.
