Bangalore/New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Saturday led protests against Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's recommendation to dismiss his government. The state Congress leaders, however, urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for central rule in the state.

 
 Launching a five-day 'Hatao Governor, Bachao Karnataka' (Remove Governor, save Karnataka) campaign in Raichur, about 400 km from Bangalore, Yeddyurappa claimed Bhardwaj wanted to rule Karnataka.
 
 "The governor wants to rule Karnataka. He had suggested to me several months ago to dissolve the assembly so that he will get six months to rule. Bhardwaj had also said that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) will be back in power," Yeddyurappa told party workers.
 
 State BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa led another rally in Mysore, about 130 km from Bangalore.
 
 Yeddyurappa will lead rallies in four more districts and Eshwarappa in five places till May 25, the deadline the ruling BJP set Friday for the central government to reject Bhardwaj's recommendation and recall him from Karnataka.
 
 In New Delhi, a delegation of Karnataka Congress leaders met the prime minister and demanded immediate acceptance of Bhardwaj's recommendation to dismiss the Yeddyurappa govenrment.
 
 The delegation was led by state Congress president G. Parameshwara. Union Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress general secretary Oscar Fernandes, leaders of opposition in the state assembly and legislative council Siddaramiah and Motamma were among those in the Congress delegation that called on the prime minister.
 
 Siddaramiah told reporters later that the prime minister assured the delegation that a decision would be taken on Bhardwaj's recommendation after taking all the aspects into consideration.
 
 Bhardwaj recommended the dismissal of the BJP government May 15, two days after the Supreme Court restored membership of 16 Karnataka lawmakers whom the state assembly speaker had disqualified just a day before Yeddyurappa's trust vote.
 
 Bhardwaj had in his report to the central government said the chief minister and assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah had "colluded to destroy the character and composition of the assembly" ahead of the Oct 11 trust vote.
 
 The 16 legislators -- 11 of te ruling BJP and five Independents -- were disqualified ahead of the trust vote, which Bhardwaj had directed Yeddyurappa to take.