Bhatkal MLA Sunil Naik likely to be dumped by BJP in candidate list, sources say might switch to JDS
Might contest as independent candidate, join BJP later: Sources
Bhatkal: Ahead of the release of the candidate list of the BJP, speculations in the local political circles are rife that the Saffron party is likely to dump its sitting MLA Sunil Naik from the constituency and would be fielding a fresh candidate as the party’s face in coming elections.
Sunil Naik, who was facing stiff opposition from within the party, is likely to switch to JD(S) and is reportedly in talks with the JD(S) high command for a ticket from the party.
Sources close to the MLA also added that he is mulling contesting the election as an independent candidate. The sources also added that Sunil Naik was exploring the prospects of him joining the BJP again if he manages victory in the election while also demanding a ministry portfolio for himself.
JD(S) on the other hand has remained a mute spectator of the situation in Bhatkal. Media reports had earlier claimed that the JD(S) chief and former CM HD Kumaraswamy had assured noted High Court lawyer Nagendra Naik of a party ticket from the constituency.
With Congress announcing former MLA Mankal Vaidya as its candidate, both BJP and JD(S) are trying to tackle an internal feud among several of its candidates, nursing ticket aspirations.
In the BJP, local leader Govinda Naik, a staunch Sangh Parivar activist has emerged as the front-runner for the ticket while Ishwar Naik is also among those being considered in the race.
In the JD(S) one of its most prominent local leaders Inayathullah Shabandri is still hopeful of a party ticket but the chances of his candidature look bleak with Nagendra Naik getting assurance from the party chief.
It will be interesting to see if JD(s) dumps Nagendra Naik as well as Shabandri to take the BJP’s dumped sitting MLA on board.
BJP is expected to release its list of candidates on Tuesday late night or Wednesday morning, after a series of meetings that have been held over the last two days in New Delhi. The meetings were attended by CM Bommai and party strongman BS Yediyurappa along with other senior leaders.
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Canada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump's tariff threat
Toronto (AP/PTI): Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a senior official has said.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don't stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders.
But Trump posted Wednesday evening on Truth Social that he had a "wonderful conversation" with new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she "agreed to stop Migration through Mexico".
"Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA. Thank you!!!" Trump posted.
It was unclear what impact the conversation will have on Trump's plan to impose tariffs.
In Canada, a government official said on Wednesday that Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation. The official stressed no decision has been made. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.
When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the US in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Many of the US products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports USD 3 million worth of yogurt from the US annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10 per cent duty.
Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at Canadian border pale in comparison to the southern border.
The US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024.
Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security and work with the Trump administration to lower the numbers from Canada. The Canadians are also worried about a influx north of migrants if Trump follows through with his plan for mass deportations.
Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border pale in comparison to the Mexican border. US customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border.
Canadian officials argue their country is not the problem and that tariffs will have severe implications for both countries.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly USD 3.6 billion Canadian (USD 2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60 per cent of US crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85 per cent of US electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday with the leaders of Canada's provinces. He stressed they need to present a united front.
"I don't want to minimize for a moment the gravity of the challenge we now face," Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. "Now is really a moment for us not to squabble amongst ourselves."
The provincial premiers want Trudeau to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico.
Sheinbaum, Mexico's president, said earlier Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs "if the situation comes to that."
She later said she talked to Trump and had "an excellent conversation".
