Amid the BJP's demand for the recall of Karnataka's Governor H R Bhardwaj,the Congress on Wednesday virtually left him to fend for himself,maintaining the matter is between the Governor and the Centre. "As far as the role of the Governor is concerned,what he is doing and what he is not doing,the party has nothing to do with it. This issue is between the Governor and the Home Ministry,that means the Centre",party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters. Informed sources said if Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa wins the confidence vote and the BJP government stabilises,Bhardwaj's continuance in the Raj Bhavan could be untenable. Dwivedi,who faced a volley of questions on the issue,also downplayed the state Congress's attack on the Governor for allowing a second trust vote to the Karnataka Chief Minister. "As BJP is in the role of the opposition at the Centre,so is our party in Karnataka",he said when asked about Congress leader Siddaramaiah's attack on Bhardwaj,terming his offer to the BJP government to prove majority again in the House as "unprecedented" and "unconstitutional". Asked about BJP's demand for the recall of the Governor,the AICC leader said "BJP is in opposition and hence it was their right to make any demand." "It is not necessary to comment on their every remark because of lot of remarks tend to be illogical",he said when asked to comment on BJP's allegation that Congress is attempting to destabilise the Karnataka government. To a query whether Bhardwaj is an ideal Governor,Dwivedi said "political parties do not make any comment on Governor". The party's response came on a day when BJP led a high-level delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding the recall of the Governor. Tomorrow's vote depends on HC's Monday order Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered that tomorrow's vote in the Assembly on the chief minister's confidence motion will be subject to its decision on the writ petitions filed by 16 disqualified MLAs to be given on Monday. Chief Justice J S Khehar also rejected pleas of five disqualified Independent MLAs to vote in the Assembly tomorrow in the confidence vote or that their vote be kept in a sealed envelope to be counted or not not depending on the Monday order. The Court's order came on an urgent petition filed by the 5 Independent MLAs whose counsel K G Raghavan pleaded for an immediate stay on the order of Speaker K G Bopaiah disqualifying them. Alternatively they demanded that they should be allowed to vote and their votes be kept in sealed covers and handed over to the court Registrar. The votes can be counted if they succeed in their writ petition or vice versa. Counsel for government M D Marigund and Vivek Reddy objected to their plea saying if their pleas were allowed it would be violative of Art 212 of the Constitution which bars courts from inquiring into proceedings of the Legislature. Any interim order will interfere with the proceedings of the House,the government counsel contended. In his order,Justice Khehar said "We are satisfied that the ends of justice will be met if the proceedings that will happen in the Assembly tomorrow are ordered to be subject to the decision on rpt on the writ petitions before the High Court." Yesterday the court had adjourned proceedings in the case filed by 16 MLAs,including 11 of the BJP,seeking quashing of the Speaker's orders to Monday. While it had reserved orders in the case of petition relating to 11 MLAs,it had allowed the 5 MLAs to amend their writ petition and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday. Experts said if the High Court finally upholds the Speaker's decision to disqualify the legislators then status quo could remain. But if the Speaker's decision is overturned then it could result in a fresh vote of confidence since the legislators would get back their rights. Speaker bars entry of non-members into Assembly Bangalore: Ahead of tomorrow's trust vote,Karnataka Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah today ordered marshals not to allow non-members including former legislators and MPs in the vicinity of the House. "There is no entry for any non-member including disqualified MLAs tomorrow into the Vidhna Soudha. I have taken all precautionary measures to ensure smooth proceedings during the vote of confidence," Bopaiah told reporters here. Untoward incidents that occurred during the trust vote on October 11 would not be repeated tomorrow,he said. Entry of vehicles including those of MLAs have been banned into the Vidhana Soudha parking area tomorrow,but this restriction will not apply to official vehicles of Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and JDS legislature group leader H D Revanna,he said. City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari,whose entry in uniform into the House on Monday sparked a major controversy,said police would issue security clearance passes to each of the MLAs and also journalists having valid entry passes. Only those who have security clearance will be allowed inside the House,he said. The government has declared a half-day holiday for staff working in the Vidhana Soudha,its annexe Vikas Soudha and multi-storey complex tomorrow till 2 pm.
