Karnataka crisis: Yeddyurappa sets deadline for Governor Bhardwaj

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Bangalore, May 19 : Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has given state Governor HR Bhardwaj an ultimatum to call for an Assembly session.
Yeddyurappa said he would start an agitation if Governor Bhardwaj does not give permission by this evening for an assembly session from June 2.
"By this evening, news should reach me (from Raj Bhavan) that approval has been given for the (legislature) session, "Yeddyurappa told reporters here.
On Wednesday, Bhardwaj told Yeddyurappa that he expected the Centre's decision on his recommendation for imposition of President's Rule by Thursday.
Apparently awaiting the Centre's move, Bhardwaj asked Yeddyurappa to wait for a day or two for his decision on the state cabinet recommendation for convening the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Left parties and JD (S) today demanded the resignation of Yeddyurappa and Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah contending that the Supreme Court decision quashing the disqualification of 16 MLAs was a "clear and severe" indictment of both.
"If the BJP wants to continue with the government, let them elect a new speaker, new Chief Minister. We have no objection to that. But these two gentlemen have no right to continue after apex court judgement," CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan told reporters.
Earlier, the Left parties, JD (S) and Rashtriya Lok Dal issued a joint statement saying that Yeddyurappa has no right to continue in office following severe strictures passed against him by the Supreme Court.
The statement was issued after a meeting of leaders of the JD(S), Forward Bloc, CPI(M), CPI and RLD.
Yeddyurappa had on Sunday shot off a protest letter to President Pratiba Patil, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram against Governor Bhardwaj's move to recommend President's rule in Karnataka.
He appealed to them to prevent a constitutional crisis in Karnataka.
The report from Bhardwaj came in the wake of Supreme Court reversing the Karnataka high court decision of disqualifying 11 BJP rebel MLAs and five independents ahead of the October 10, 2010 floor test in the assembly.
A rebellion by some lawmakers last year had reduced the Yeddyurappa ministry to a minority in the 225-member Assembly, leading Bhardwaj to order the Chief Minister to seek a trust vote.
Bhardwaj ordered another trust vote, which Yeddyurappa won on October 14 with 106 votes in favour and 100 against.
Of the 11 BJP rebels who had won back their membership, 10 again expressed their support to Yeddyurappa on Monday, while the 11th refused to do so.