K’taka Minister R Ashoka rejects Bommai's replacement, challenges Cong to name its CM face
Bengaluru(PTI): Accusing the opposition Congress of unnecessarily raking up the issue of Karnataka Chief Minister replacement, to cover up the rift within, senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday challenged the grand old party to name its CM candidate for 2023 assembly polls.
Ruling out Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's replacement, he said BJP's top leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have already said that the election will be under Bommai's leadership and the party will abide by it.
The Minister was reacting to Congress' series of tweets on Tuesday speculating about Chief Minister Bommai being replaced and even calling him a "Puppet CM".
"To cover up their infighting that has come on to the streets, Congress is spreading false information that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be replaced. Congress has no base in the country, what rights do they have to speak about BJP's leadership and CM change," Ashoka said.
Speaking to reporters, he said, Congress have not been able to appoint their party's national president, and are today talking about Chief Minister change in the BJP government.
"Did Amit Shah or the Prime Minister tell you (about CM change)? Things have rotten within your own party because of your infighting, clear it first.....There will be neither CM change nor will BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel be replaced, we will go to polls under their leadership," he added.
There has been some buzz on and off within the state BJP in recent times, regarding some kind of an overhaul including at the top level, especially after the recent visit of Amit Shah to the State.
Ashoka, further challenging the Congress party said, "Our Chief Minister is Basavaraj Bommai, if you have guts, courage and morality will you be able to tell who is your Chief Minister candidate? Question yourself about it, you don't have courage to announce, but you want to speak about others."
He also said that Congress fears getting split on making such an announcement into- Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar Congress.
Ashoka noted that the internal rift been Congress leaders like Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Mallikarjun Kharge, G Parameshwara and M B Patil, has come out in open after the Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday event at Davangere. To counter Siddaramaiah's event, Shivakumar is organising a march in the name of 75th independence day, to prove his strength, he said.
"It has also come to our notice that the native Congress leaders have held a meeting expressing their displeasure about Siddaramaiah's birthday event ," he said, adding that instead of going to flood affected areas Congress leaders are involved in such things.
Former BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda's recent statement indicating some changes that the high command will take a call on replacing the Chief Minister and other matters in the interest of the party and to win the elections in future, had added to the speculations.
However, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel rejected it by stating that Bommai would complete his tenure.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
