State Cong chief to take action to rein in leaders weighing in for CM post: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said the Congress state President D K Shivakumar will respond to calls by some party leaders to rein in those weighing in for the Chief Minister post, in the event of leadership change in the state.
As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the Governor's sanction for his prosecution in a site allotment case is being heard in the High Court, Congress leaders seem to be preparing for a race to become CM with several of them openly expressing their desire.
A group of Congress leaders on Tuesday wrote to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi requesting him to warn party leaders including senior Ministers, who are weighing in for the Chief Minister's post, in the event of leadership change.
The signatories of the letter, including current and former lawmakers and some ex-Ministers, have also asked him to direct them not to issue damaging statements in future.
State Congress working president Manjunath Bhandary and MLC Dinesh Gooligowda on Monday wrote to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to curb speculation over the Chief Minister’s tenure.
"Some office-bearers and leaders of the party have written to the high command, and the state president D K Shivakumar will take necessary action," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Noting that repeated discussion on the post of Chief Minister is unnecessary at this point, he said: "Being in government we have to administer the state and fulfill the promises made to the people by implementing them."
"BJP is indulging in vendetta politics, they want to destabilise the government and want to ensure that the government's programmes don't reach the people, we will have to side step them and function," he added.
Asked as to why disciplinary action is not being taken against those in the party making staking claims for CM post, Parameshwara said the state president will look into it, on returning from the US trip.
On Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, meeting Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader meeting Rahul Gandhi in the US, he said he was not aware of it. "I have only seen photos on social media and felt happy..."
When pointed at speculations linking Shivakumar meeting Rahul Gandhi to alleged efforts towards ensuring Siddaramaiah steps down as CM, he said: "Shivakumar has gone with family to US, coincidentally Rahul Gandhi was in the same city and hotel, they might have exchanged greetings, other than that I don't know."
While Shivakumar is seen as a prime contender for the post in case of any change in leadership, names of Parameshwara and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi too are doing rounds, especially following their recent meeting with party leadership in New Delhi.
A verbal duel of sorts had erupted between two senior Ministers -- M B Patil and Shivanand Patil -- about seniority as the yardstick to become the Chief Minister.
Senior Congress MLAs -- Administrative Reforms Commission Chairperson R V Deshpande and Basavaraj Rayareddy, who is Siddaramaiah's financial adviser -- too have expressed their wish to become the Chief Minister.
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At UN, India flags concerns over targeting of vessels in Strait of Hormuz
United Nations (PTI): Targeting commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is "unacceptable", India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Parvathaneni Harish has said.
Harish's remarks at a special meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC) on safeguarding energy and supply flows came days after an India-flagged commercial vessel came under attack off the coast of Oman.
Omani authorities rescued all 14 crew members of the vessel sailing from Somalia, but it was not immediately known who carried out the strike.
In a post on X on Sunday, Harish said that at the UNECOSOC meeting, he shared India's approach to the recent energy and fertiliser crisis caused by the West Asia conflict.
"A combination of short-term and structural measures alongside international cooperation are essential to respond to the crisis," he said.
"Reiterated that targeting of commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable. International law in this regard must be fully respected," he added.
The attack on the India-flagged vessel on May 13 took place amid the fragile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway close to the coast of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies pass.
It has been severely disrupted by the conflict in West Asia that started on February 28, with the US and Israel launching joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes.
Earlier, India had described the attack as "unacceptable".
At least two other Indian-flagged ships have been attacked since the conflict broke out.
According to the UNECOSOC website, the meeting, which took place on Friday, focused on “Safeguarding energy and supply flows: Supporting global development through international cooperation”.
