Karnataka Governor okays Yeddyurappa?s prosecution

Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Friday sanctioned the prosecution of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa following a fresh series of spats between the two over the alleged involvement of the latter in land scams.

The Chief Minister is now likely to be prosecuted under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The move comes in the wake of the Cabinet asking the Governor not to sanction Yeddyurappa?s prosecution as requested by some lawyers who want to charge the Chief Minister of corruption.

Bhardwaj had shunned the request comparing it to a ?thief admonishing a policeman?, which had spurred angry reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Yeddyurappa himself.

Yeddyurappa had said he will request the President of India to recall Bhardwaj and had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Jan 24 regarding his demand.

For the past few months the coalition government, headed by the BJP is having tussle with Raj Bhawan after Yeddyurappa survived twice the no-confidence motion following a rebellion by over a dozen of legislators over alleged corruption charges.

While the Governor hit out at “corruption” in the government, the BJP called him an “agent of the Congress”.

The BJP had plans to stage a dharna with party legislators in front of Raj Bhavan on Jan 25 and call a statewide bandh on Jan 27 if the Governor sanctions the prosecution, while reports say following Bharadwaj?s order the strikes are likely to be held on Saturday.