Don't read too much into my meeting with Rahul Gandhi: D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said his recent meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was part of routine political interactions and nothing much should made out of it.
He also maintained that he would continue to engage with the party leadership on various issues.
Shivakumar said he had posted on 'X' stating that "Effort may fail but prayers won't," which was linked to developments in the Cauvery dispute.
"Due to my prayers, the Cauvery issue has taken a new shape in the court. The court has told the Centre that it has to take a decision on the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir issue. Hence, I tweeted it," he said.
He dismissed different interpretations by journalists.
On his meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday during his transit visit to Mysuru before heading for Tamil Nadu, the KPCC president said he had interacted with the Congress leader.
"I won't say I did not speak to him. I can't disclose what we had discussed. It's between me and him," Shivakumar said, adding that he would be travelling to Delhi on Friday.
"I am going to Delhi tomorrow where I will meet him (Rahul Gandhi). I have a meeting on the Assam Assembly polls," he said.
On his meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Shivakumar said it was part of party protocol for being the KPCC president to receive the party president when he visits the state.
Reacting to questions about jubilation among his supporters following his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar said he was unaware of such reactions.
"My meeting with Rahul Gandhi isn't new. I don't know who told you this. My meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others is not something that can be discussed in public," he added.
When asked whether he would convey the aspirations of his supporters to Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar quipped that he will also communicate the aspirations of the journalists.
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Rupee hits all-time low for second time in a week
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 31 paise to settle at 91.99 against the US dollar on Wednesday, touching the lowest closing level for the second time in less than a week, amid increased month-end demand for the greenback.
Forex traders said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe offered quiet reassurance. However, increased month-end demand for the American currency as well as the ongoing geopolitical tensions dented investors' sentiments.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 91.60 and touched an early high of 91.50, but pared all the gains to touch an intra-day low of 91.99 against the greenback.
The domestic unit settled 31 paise down, revisiting its lowest-ever closing level of 91.99 against the greenback. The Indian currency previously ended at this level on January 23 when it also hit its all-time intraday low of 92 against the US dollar.
On Tuesday, the rupee rebounded from its all-time low levels and gained 22 paise to close at 91.68 against the US dollar.
Analysts said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe bolstered investor sentiment.
India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA), under which a number of domestic sectors such as apparel, chemicals and footwear will get duty-free entry into the 27-nation bloc, while the EU will get access to the Indian market at concessional duty for cars and wines, an official said.
The deal has been dubbed the "mother of all deals" as it will create a market of about 2 billion people.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.07 per cent lower at 96.14.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 0.43 per cent lower at USD 67.28 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex jumped 487.20 points to settle at 82,344.68, while Nifty surged 167.35 points to 25,342.75.
Foreign Institutional Investors turned net buyers and purchased equities worth Rs 480.26 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
