Leadership row: Siddaramaiah, DKS share meal, put up united front denying differences
Bengaluru (PTI): Seeking to end the raging leadership row involving them, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar on Saturday put up a united front, asserting there were no differences between them and that they would be united in the future as well.
Addressing a joint press conference after a breakfast meeting at Siddaramaiah's residence Kaveri, the two leaders said they will abide by the party high command's decision.
The breakfast meet was convened by the CM at the behest of the Congress high command to end the logjam over the issue bothering the 2.5 year old Congress government, with the opposition BJP warning of moving a no confidence motion should the power tussle between the CM and his deputy continue.
Addressing the press conference, Siddaramaiah said, "I had a breakfast meeting with Shivakumar because some unwanted confusion was created. It was created by the media."
"We don't have differences. Even today there are no differences, there won't be any in future as well. I will ensure that from now on it does not exist," he said.
The Chief Minister said they are united and together they will fight the 2028 assembly election.
Siddaramaiah also stressed that none of the Ministers and the ruling party MLAs are against the government.
"We will face the assembly. We have worked out a strategy on how to face the BJP and the JD(S). They are saying no confidence motion will be moved. If they bring adjournment motion then we will tackle it," he said.
On his part, Shivakumar said people had supported the Congress party and brought it to power. Hence, the Congress has to live up to their expectations.
Dismissing differences with the CM, Shivakumar said, "we don't have factionalism."
"We will go together, take everyone along and abide by the party high command."
Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, said that he discussed the strategy for the 2028 assembly polls to tackle opposition parties and also the ways to deal with the no confidence motion if the BJP moves it in the upcoming winter session of Karnataka legislative in Belagavi.
He also made it clear that the party would fight the 2028 assembly polls under the leadership of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
"The party is in a very difficult stage in the country. We still have the confidence that Karnataka will play a major role (in its revival). And we will repeat in 2028 (the 2023 poll victory),” he added.
Earlier, in a social media post after the breakfast meet, Shivakumar said the two leaders had a productive discussion.
"Met Hon’ble CM Shri @siddaramaiah avaru at Cauvery Residence this morning for a breakfast meeting. A productive discussion on Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead," he said.
All eyes were on the outcome of the meeting.
While Siddaramaiah has been asserting that he has got a mandate to remain as the chief minister for a full five-year term, Shivakumar has indicated that he was promised that he will be elevated after two-and-half years on a rotational basis.
The issue of change of leadership had been going on for the past two months but intensified after November 20 when the Congress government completed 2.5 years.
The Congress high command on Friday intervened and asked the two leaders to resolve the issue by talking to each other.
Accordingly, Siddaramaiah had invited his deputy to come home for a breakfast meeting.
Sources in the CMO said idli, vada, sambar, chutney and uppittu (Upma) were on the menu for the keenly watched meet over breakfast.
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India, US trade team to start three-day talks from Dec 10: Sources
New Delhi (PTI): India and the United States will commence three-day talks on the first phase of their proposed bilateral trade agreement here from December 10, sources said.
The visit is crucial as India and the US are working to finalise the first tranche of the pact.
"The three-day talks will start on December 10. It will conclude on December 12, and it is not a formal round of talks," said one of the sources.
The US team will be led by Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer.
This visit of the US officials marks their second trip since the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market due to the purchase of Russian crude oil.
On September 16, the US officials last visited India.
On September 22, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also led an official delegation to the US for trade talks. Goyal had also visited Washington in May.
While the USA's chief negotiator for the pact is Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, the Indian side is led by Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain.
The talks are also important as Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has recently stated that India is hopeful of reaching a framework trade deal with the US this year itself, which should address the tariff issue to the benefit of Indian exporters.
While noting that the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) will take time, Agrawal has added that India is engaged in protracted negotiations with the US on a framework trade deal that will address the reciprocal tariff challenge faced by Indian exporters.
India and the US are having two parallel negotiations -- one on a framework trade deal to address tariffs and another on a comprehensive trade deal.
In February, leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate an agreement.
It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall of 2025. So far, six rounds of negotiations have been held. The agreement aims to more than double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, from the current USD 191 billion.
The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at USD 131.84 billion (USD 86.5 billion exports).
The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent of its imports, and 10.73 per cent of its total merchandise trade.
According to exporters, the agreement is important as India's merchandise exports to the US declined for the second consecutive month in October, falling by 8.58 per cent to USD 6.3 billion due to the hefty tariffs imposed by Washington.
