I am prisoner of Raj Bhavan: K'taka guv

With the Centre's rejection of his report recommending President's rule in Karnataka apparently weighing on his mind, governor H R Bhardwaj on Thursday described himself as a "prisoner" of Raj Bhavan.

With the Centre's rejection of his report recommending President's rule in Karnataka apparently weighing on his mind, governor H R Bhardwaj on Thursday described himself as a "prisoner" of Raj Bhavan.

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"Everybody is a prisoner, including me. I am a prisoner of Raj Bhavan. However, literature has kept me on the right track in these turbulent times," he said at a function in Raj Bhavan.

Bhardwaj was apparently referring to the recent political war that broke out between him and the ruling BJP after he recommended dismissal of the B S Yeddyurappa government, which the Centre rejected.

Speaking about well-known Kannada poet K V Puttappa, popularly known as Kuvempu, at the function, Bhardwaj said, "I am neither a philosopher, nor a politician. Whenever I enter these streams, I commit mistakes. I am often made out to be a politician, but actually I am more of a lawyer – a strict one at that."

Inspired by the works of Kuvempu, Bharadwaj, also described himself as a "prisoner" of his own self.

Bhardwaj had come under intense criticism from BJP leadership, who have been demanding his immediate recall after he sent a special report on May 15 recommending imposition of President's rule, following the Supreme Court verdict quashing the Assembly Speaker's order disqualifying 16 MLAs ahead of the trust vote in October last year.

Virtually snubbing him, the Centre again rejected his report as it had done in October last year.