BJP stages bandh, demands governor's recall, braces for legal battle

A near total bandh was observed in Karnataka today as the ruling BJP gave vent to its anger over governor HR Bhardwaj sanctioning prosecution of the chief minister in alleged land scams and braced itself for a legal battle against the controversial move.

A senior minister also ruled out chief minister BS Yeddyurappa giving his resignation in the wake of the governor's decision.

BJP held protests all over the state denouncing the action and demanded recall of Bhardwaj, who yesterday passed the order, setting the stage for a major showdown between the governor and the BJP in their already prevalent turbulent relationship.

The bandh, described by BJP as "self-initiated" and "voluntary", was "near total" and marked by stray violent incidents, according to initial reports.

Stone pelting on shops and buses were reported from places such as Belgaum, Gulbarga, Shimoga and Bangalore.

Additional director general of police (law and order), AR Infant, said that two state-owned buses were set on fire at Honnali in Davanagere district last night and a private bus in Bangalore.

A ministerial delegation, led by law and parliamentary affairs minister S Suresh Kumar, today met the governor at Raj Bhavan and sought a copy of the order sanctioning prosecution of the chief minister.

"We had a long discussion. Ultimately, the governor has agreed to give us a copy of his decision and order along with certain documents", Suresh Kumar told reporters.

Minutes later, the Raj Bhavan issued a press communique stating that the order had been delivered to the chief minister's office.

Suresh Kumar said the state government is pursuing "all the courses, including legal remedies", and is in touch with legal experts and the party's national leadership. "By this evening, we will come out with our plan of action. We are strong on law; we are strong on legal grounds," he said.

Asked whether the chief minister will resign, Kumar said the question does not arise as he is a duly elected leader of the legislature party and there was no need for him to step down.

Kumar said the chief minister is likely to file a petition before the high court on January 24 challenging Bhardwaj's sanction to prosecute him under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

"We are already working on a framework. We will go to court. The chief minister is likely to file a petition before the high court on Monday", he said.

The state government has been in a huddle ever since the news of governor's action was out last night, with the party's central leadership guiding its strategy.

Led by senior party leader HN Ananth Kumar, the BJP held a demonstration here and demanded recall of the governor.

Kumar accused the Congress and the JD(S), "who don't have people's mandate" after losing the assembly elections, Lok Sabha elections and local body polls in the last three years, of indulging in "back door politics".

He said the party would request the President Pratibha Patil to recall the governor.

Accusing the governor of hatching a "conspiracy", he asserted that the Yeddyurappa government would complete its five-year term.

In view of the bandh, elaborate security arrangements have been made, with heavy deployment of police forces in and around the state.

City police commissioner Shankar Bidari said some 200 persons in the city have been taken into custody. Party leaders Katta Subramanya Naidu, Arvind Limbavali and Ramachandra Gowda also courted arrest here.

Prohibitory orders had been promulgated in various places, including Bangalore, as a precautionary measure.

Suresh Kumar also said the governor's action was "not surprising and not a bolt from the blue" as he had indicated on December 31 itself that he was planning to issue the sanction order.

"However, we feel that his (governor's) action is challengeable. It's untenable", the law minister said.

The governor's order would be "countered legally and politically", Suresh Kumar said and saw Bhardwaj's action as a "product of political conspiracy hatched by the Congress and the JD(S)".