A combative B S Yeddyurappa ruled out his resignation over the grant of sanction for his prosecution by Governor H R Bhardwaj, as BJP enforced a bandh in Karnataka against his action following which a criminal complaint was filed against the Chief Minister.

Coming under attack from BJP, the Governor justified his action saying there was a “prima facie” case against the chief minister in the petition filed by two lawyers in alleged land scams and corruption charges.

The Governor’s action also fuelled a political slugfest between the Congress and BJP.

Stung by the Governor’s action which raised the political temperature, BJP activists took to the streets during the day-long bandh called by the ruling party but it passed off peacefully barring some minor incidents of stone pelting.

Yeddyurappa parried a question over Lalu Prasad Yadav’s resignation from the post of Chief Minister in Bihar after a case of corruption in fodder scam was filed against him and faced a threat of arrest.

Responding to BJP’s all-out attack calling his action malafide, an unperturbed Bhardwaj stood his ground saying a prima-facie case was made out in the complaints filed by two lawyers against the Chief Minister.

“A prima-facie is made out for according sanction for prosecution under section 19 (1) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1973, after going through the substance of allegations and the supporting documents as well as the legal position,” he said in a lengthy communique explaining his action.

In a related development, one of the complainant lawyers filed a private complaint in a city court for Yeddyurappa’s prosecution.

The matter would come up for hearing on 24th January .

The complaint listed out six offences, four more complaints listing 12 more charges would be filed on Monday before the court, C H Hanumantha Raya, senior counsel for the two lawyers, told.

Striking an aggressive posture, Yeddyurappa dubbed the Governor’s action as “unconstitutional” and “malafide” and alleged Bhardwaj took the decision in collusion with opposition Congress and JDS.