From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 9: Two days after Justice Y Bhaskar Rao’s resignation as Karnataka’s Lokayukta following a prolonged battle, the ruling Congress party has accused the former BJP government headed by Jagadish Shettar of being responsible for recommending the appointment in the year 2013.

Two Congress MLCs, V S Ugrappa and H M Revanna, considered close confidants of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, lambasted the opposition BJP for trying to pass the buck for the appointment of Justice Rao to the former State Governor H R Bhardwaj.

"The BJP leaders, especially the opposition leader JagadishShettar, who had served as the chief minister, should know that the Governor cannot appoint any person as Lokayukta on his own," the Congress leaders said and pointed out that the Governor has to go by the recommendation of the State Government.

Ugrappa asked Shettar to clarify as to who recommended the name of Justice Rao.

"He (Shettar) should own the responsibility for recommending a person like Justice Rao," the Congress leader said.

Both the Congress leaders criticised former Law Minister S Suresh Kumar’s statement that the former Governor put pressure on the BJP Government to appoint Justice Rao instead of former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath to the Lokayukta.

Revanna accused the BJP leaders of misusing the offices of Raj Bhavan, Prime Minister’s Office and the Lokayukta to destablise the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

He alleged that Governor Vajubhai Vala has scuttled the efforts of the State Government, including filling-up of vacancies in KPSC.

The Governor nominated several Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) persons as the members of the Syndicate in State Universities, Revanna alleged.