Tension grew today between Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and governor H R Bhardwaj who rejected a cabinet resolution asking him not to accord prosecution sanction against the BJP leader who demanded an apology for his controversial remarks.

The chief minister also said a delegation of BJP's central leaders and MPs from the state would meet President Pratibha Patil on January 24 in New Delhi to bring to her notice the conduct of the governor and demand his recall.

In a hard-hitting letter to Yeddyurappa with him whom he has strained relationship, the governor told him bluntly that he cannot "put a lid" on serious allegations of corruption and said the state government's plea was "unwarranted."

An angry chief minister while demanding an 'unconditional apology' from Bhardwaj for branding the state government's request to drop proceedings for his prosecution on corruption charges as a "case of a thief admonishing a policeman" said his remarks has insulted people of the state.

Upping the ante, the state BJP core committee decided to organise protests against the governor in all district and taluk headquarters to press for his immediate recall.

BJP legislators and ministers would also hold "Raj Bhavan Chalo" on January 25 demanding that Bhardwaj "vacate Raj Bhavan", state unit spokesmaAyanur Manjunath said.

It is also learnt that the BJP government is mulling adopting a resolution demanding governor's immediate recall.

Referring to the January 19 cabinet meeting resolution sent to him, Bhardwaj said "The sum and substance of the cabinet decision is it simply requires me to put a lid on the serious allegations of corruption against you(chief minister).

The state cabinet resolution had asked the governor to drop the proceedings to prosecute Yeddyurappa and home minister R Ashoka on alleged scams on the basis of a complaint filed by lawyers' forum, saying such a move was nothing short of a "farce and colourable" exercise on his part.

Quoting a supreme court order, Bhardwaj pointed out in his letter "the governor is entitled to and required to take an independent decision on the basis of the material available and therefore the cabinet decision recommending to drop the consideration of the petition itself is unwarranted"

Bhardwaj said "You are aware, allegations relating to land scams, corruption and manipulation of rules and regulations regarding acquisition and denotifying of public lands regularly appeared in the media since September 2010".

Allegations of serious nature of corruption were levelled against the high office of the chief minister by various groups, which delivered representations to him personally and thus creating a cloud on his (Yeddyurappa's) personal integrity, Bhardwaj said in his letter.

Yeddyurappa, who has also convened an emergent cabinet meeting here tomorrow to discuss the fresh developments, said, "for his remarks, he (Bhardwaj) should tender an unconditional apology. He has insulted the people of the state."