BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said the 12-point ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ only consisted of “suggestions’ and could not be an “issue” for the Governor who should only be “concerned” with the majority. “We have 129 MLAs,” he pointed out.

Naidu demanded that President’s Rule be revoked immediately and Governor Rameshwar Thakur invite Yediyurappa to form the Government. “The Governor has no choice but to invite Yediyurappa to form Government, as he has the requisite majority,” Naidu said, adding that it was the Governor’s “foremost duty” to install a popular Government when possible.

Naidu said: “The Congress and UPA seem to have an evil agenda. That is why this delay in the Governor taking the initiative, and the Centre not taking action on the Governor’s report.” He warned the UPA regime against any ‘misadventure’ like the kind it had tried in Jharkhand and Bihar, and added that “partisan actions by pliable Governors had been struck down by the courts.”

In the event of the Centre not revoking President’s Rule, “we will take other steps,” said Naidu, adding: “We are ready to take our MLAs to Rashtrapathi Bhavan, if necessary.” He pointed out that the Prime Minister had given the assurance to a BJP delegation that he would go by the Constitution.

As for Congress leader M Veerappa Moily’s remarks that the Governor had sent a ‘factual account’ of the Karnataka situation and not a ‘final recommendation’, Naidu demanded to know if Moily had been “privy” to the confidential report sent by the Governor. “Is the Governor consulting Congress leaders?” he asked.