BANGALORE: Former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Janardhan Poojary on Friday urged Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to send a report to the Union Government recommending that the coalition Government in the State be dismissed in the wake of bribery charge against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and two of his Cabinet colleagues.

A critic of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda even during the days of the Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition, Mr. Poojary told presspersons that the Governor should not remain a spectator to the political developments in the State. He had to discharge his responsibilities to protect the Constitution and rule of law. The Governor should either recommend dismissal of the Government or keep the Legislative Assembly in suspended animation. "The Congress is looking to the Governor for action," he said.

Mr. Poojary claimed that there was a constitutional breakdown in the State following BJP MLC G. Janardhan Reddy's allegation.

Claiming that the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues had violated the oath of office, he urged Mr. Chaturvedi to send a report to the Union Government on the issue based on which the latter could intervene under various provisions of the Income Tax Act and the Preservation of Forest Act.

The former Union minister demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the allegations. Otherwise, the Congress would launch a State-wide agitation, he said.

The body language of the Chief Minister, Ministers and legislators of the ruling parties had clearly suggested that they had taken the bribe, he said. The BJP and Janata Dal (S) legislators were defending the Chief Minister to remain in power, he said.

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