Bhardwaj’s action also bothers Kumaraswamy

NEW DELHI - Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy Tuesday said he was “apprehensive” about Governor H.R. Bhardwaj asking Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to prove his majority in the assembly after recommending president’s rule.

“We are bothered about the governor’s action. How can a constitutional authority ask a government to prove majority after recommending president’s rule in the state,” Kumaraswamy asked wile speaking to IANS over the phone when asked if he welcomed the governor’s decision to ask Yeddyurappa to again prove his majority.

“It is not the question of whether we welcome it or not… we are apprehensive,” said Kumaraswamy, who is accused by the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of fomenting the crisis in its ranks and in the state.

Asked about the outcome of the Yeddyurappa government’s second trust vote, the Karnataka opposition leader said: “Let us see.”

Bhardwaj Tuesday asked Yeddyurappa to take the trust vote afresh Thurday as the confidence motion a day earlier was carried by a voice vote and it was vital to demonstrate proof of majority support in the house.

On Monday, Bhardwaj had recommended that president’s rule be imposed in Karnataka and the assembly be kept in suspended animation after the BJP government won the crucial motion of confidence in a controversial manner.