Sycophants in party made me Kartanaka Governor: Congress leader HR Bharadwaj

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader H R Bharadwaj today blamed "sycophants" in the party for appointing him as Kartanaka Governor soon after the 2009 Lok Sabha elections while he was the Union Law Minister.

He, however, absolved the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of any role in the development.

"I was the most unfit person to be a Governor. I don't blame (former PM) Manmohan Singh. But there are sycophants who put good people out. Indira Gandhi never did this," he said at a book release function, apparently hitting out at the party leadership.

Referring to his period as the Governor of Karnataka, which was marked by controversies, he said the post demands respect as it is bestowed with responsibility by the constitution.

"They made me Governor, they appoint and then they humiliate me, dont allow them to run. You appoint people and consider them other than that. This is not going to help us.

"You respect the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister. They should be respected as the the constitution gives them a responsibility," he said.

Bharadwaj had earlier also hit out at his party and sought to embarrass the party leadership.

Earlier this year, he had made a direct attack on Sonia Gandhi, alleging that she "shared no responsibility" and was in the "grip of sycophants and corrupt people".

In July, he had slammed the party saying that it was too weak to fight the BJP, and had stated that Rahul Gandhi were out of touch with the ground reality.