'Sunny sir was very different from what we imagined -- calm, shy, and soft-spoken. He didn't talk much, just smiled gently.'
Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa spoke to former state law minister M C Nanaiah and Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli about Governor H R Bhardwaj's decision.
Ruling the Bhartiya Janata Party suffered a fresh setback in poll-bound Karnataka with two more ministers quitting the Jagadish Shettar cabinet on Thursday, amid indications that they would join the Congress.
With Karnataka Chief Minister-designate Siddaramaiah all set to install his Cabinet next week, lobbying for ministerial berths has intensified.
The new Congress government in Karnataka on Monday slammed the five-year Bharatiya Janata Party rule, saying public money has been swindled and esteem of the state lowered by scams and corruption cases.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has accepted the resignations of two Bharatiya Janata Party ministers -- Shobha Karandlage and C M Udasi. The two ministers, who had tendered their resignations to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, will now join B S Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party.
"There is no threat to the government. On February 8, I am going to present the budget. Nothing to worry about," he told reporters after Governor H R Bhardwaj's address to the joint state legislature session in Bengaluru.
Amid uncertainty over its fate due to resignation of party MLAs loyal to B S Yeddyurappa, the Bharatiya Janata Party government is bracing itself to face the crucial budget session on Monday, the last one of the 13th assembly term.
K Siddaramaiah, who led the Congress to victory in the May 5 assembly elections in Karnataka, took oath as the state's 22nd chief minister on Monday.
Karnataka Housing Minister V Somanna on Sunday hit out at Governor H R Bhardwaj's remarks that some ministers with 'tainted records' had been inducted into the Jagadish Shettar ministry, saying he should think twice before making such comments.
Ending his 11-month tenure, D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday resigned as the Karnataka chief minister, paving the way for Jagadish Shettar to take over, but not before dramatic scenes were witnessed with his supporters trying to physically prevent him from stepping down.
"We have met Governor H R Bhardwaj and requested him to recommend to the Central government to dissolve the Assembly and dismiss the state government under Article 356 for failing to govern as per Constitutional laws," opposition leader in the assembly Siddaramaiah told media persons.
Rejecting the recommendation for appointing former Kerala high court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath as Karnataka Lokayukta, Governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party government to find another judge not entangled in any controversy.
Slamming the demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill to battle corruption, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Friday said corruption can be checked only through a strong democracy and not through an "extra-constitutional body" like Jan Lokpal.
Hitting the streets, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka on Saturday launched its campaign seeking Governor H R Bhardwaj's recall and rejection of his report recommending dismissal of the party government with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa himself leading the agitation in Raichur.
A delegation of Congress leaders from Karnataka on Saturday met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh demanding immediate appropriate action on Governor H R Bhardwaj's report to the Centre recommending dismissal of the B S Yeddyurappa government in the state.
Amid the controversy over the issue of appointment of Lokayukta by the Governor in Gujarat, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday said he cannot name the new anti-corruption ombudsman in the state without the government's approval.
As the standoff between Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj and the state government continues over the appointment of a new Lokayukta, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party would have no choice but to prepare a new list of candidates if the Governor rejected their original recommendation.
In fresh trouble for B S Yeddyurappa, Karnataka governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday gave sanction to the Lokayukta police to initiate criminal proceedings against him over the report on illegal mining. Bhardwaj accepted the findings and recommendations of the Lokayukta in Chapter 22 of the report for initiating criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa, a Raj Bhavan communique said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka and Governor H R Bhardwaj continued to be at loggerheads over the appointment of the Lokayukta, with the latter telling the media on Monday in Bengaluru that he cannot appoint a Lokayukta who would help an accused
In a fresh bout of confrontation with the Governor, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka on Thursday decided to take its campaign against H R Bhardwaj to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan to press for his recall for refusing to accept the state government's recommendation on new Lokayukta chief.
Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday indirectly blamed Governor H R Bhardwaj for delay in the appointment of Lokayukta asserting that the government has followed precedents and the ball was in his court.
Karnataka high court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation, charging Governor H R Bhardwaj, Home Minister R Asoka, Bharatiya Janata Party member of parliament Ananth Kumar and former Lokayukta Santosh Hegde with conspiring to unseat former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa when he was in power.
Sadananda Gowda resigned as the chief minister of Karnataka on Wednesday and Jagadish Shettar met Governor H R Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan to stake his claim to form the new government. Shettar will be sworn in as the new Karnataka CM on Thursday. However, the crisis is not yet over for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.
Strongly condemning Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj's sanction to prosecute Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday said it was constitutionally improper and politically motivated.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday described as "unwarranted and unsolicited" the Centre's advisory to the Karnataka government, based on Governor H R Bhardwaj's report, maintaining such advice should instead be sent to him for acting like an "old courtier" of the Congress.
After a running battle with Karnataka governor H R Bhardwaj for recommending president's rule in the state, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday softened his stand. Yeddyurappa said he would not utter a "single word" against Bhardwaj and would respect the gubernatorial post.
Notwithstanding Centre rejecting H R Bhardwaj's recommendation on imposing President's rule in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday said he would continue to demand the recall of the Governor, who "acted in a partisan manner".
With Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj refusing to take any decision on the convening of the Karnataka legislative assembly session, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has decided to up the ante by holding protests across the state.
In a dramatic turn of events, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Sunday recommended the imposition of President's rule in the state. Bhardwaj, who returned to Bangalore on Sunday afternoon after a three-day visit to Delhi, despatched a 'special report' on the unfolding political situation in the state in the aftermath of the Supreme Court setting aside the disqualification.
Justice Shivraj Patil, who took over as the Lokayukta of Karnataka two months ago, may tender his resignation on Monday. Insiders said that he is on his way to Raj Bhavan.
D V Sadananda Gowda is all set to assume charge as new Karnataka chief minister on Thursday even as there was disquiet in the rival camp which lost out in the bitterly fought secret ballot.
In yet another sign of fissure in his relations with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has sought an "unconditional apology" from Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over his reported remarks on illegal mining issue.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday took on Governor H R Bhardwaj alleging that he was trying to throw the Bharatiya Janata Party out of power and install a Congress government in the state.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa left for Delhi on Sunday for further consultations with the Bharatiya Janata Party central leadership in the wake of Governor H R Bhardwaj sanctioning his prosecution over alleged land scams.
The Kerala government on Thursday affirmed its commitment to build a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the 116-year old structure, saying its resolve to do so is based on the principle of 'water for Tamil Nadu and safety for Kerala'. Governor H R Bhardwaj, in his address to the legislative assembly to mark the start of the budget session, made the comments.
'H R Bhardwaj's exalted opinion of himself and Rahul Gandhi's exaggeration have done far worse than strengthen the chief ministers they claim to oppose.'
The Centre on Monday rejected the demand for recall of Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj with whom the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has a running feud.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party threatening to take to the streets in Karnataka, the Centre is likely to formally convey to Governor H R Bhardwaj rejection of his recommendation for imposition of President's rule in the state.
Virtually serving an ultimatum to H R Bhardwaj, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday threatened to plunge into an agitation against the governor's action, who had sought President's rule in the state, if the latter failed to give his approval by evening for convening the assembly from June 2.