Yediyurappa's son Vijayendra says will contest Karnataka assembly polls if party approves
Koppal(PTI): Karnataka BJP Vice President and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra on Monday said he will contest the 2023 state assembly polls, if the party's central leadership gives its nod.
He maintained that the party leadership will take a decision at an appropriate time regarding his candidacy, and that Yediyurappa announcing him as candidate from the family bastion of Shikaripura for the polls, was under pressure from people there, which is subject to the party's approval.
"There is no confusion, my father and former CM B S Yediyurappa has a very strong relationship with the Shikaripura constituency, so on the pressure from party leaders, workers and people of the constituency, he made an announcement. He also has said the party and its central leadership will decide," Vijayendra told reporters here.
"...if the party approves, I will contest the polls," the younger son of Yediyurappa, who is largely seen as his political heir apparent, added.
Signalling the end of his electoral politics, Yediyurappa last Friday said he will be vacating his Shikaripura assembly seat in Shivamogga district, and that Vijayendra will be contesting the polls from there.
The Lingayat strongman, however, on Saturday clarified that only the party's central leadership can decide on tickets to contest polls.
Incidentally, the clarification came on a day when Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met Yediyurappa at the latter's residence.
Asked if a leader like Yediyurappa, who built the party in the state for decades, doesn't have the independence to choose a political successor for his constituency, Vijayendra said, "This is BJP, a national party and there is no question of a successor in this party".
"Yes, it is true that Yediyurappa strived for 30 to 40 years to build this party, the organisation and its workers; in the same way, the BJP has also given position and respect to Yediyurappa. So, the party will utilise his service to strengthen itself further and come to power with a majority," he added.
Yediyurappa announcing his son as candidate from Shikaripura is being seen as an attempt by the veteran leader to compel the party to give a ticket to Vijayendra for the assembly polls.
A section within the party feels that it may be an attempt by Yediyurappa to secure the political future of Vijayendra, after the recent 'setback' when he failed to get an MLC ticket for his son.
Ignoring the recommendation of the state unit to field Vijayendra for the June 3 biennial elections to seven seats of Karnataka Legislative Council, the party central leadership had denied him the ticket.
The move was seen by some in political quarters as a setback to Yediyurappa, as the senior leader wanted to see to it that Vijayendra becomes MLC and subsequently is inducted into the Bommai-led cabinet.
Yediyurappa's attempt to secure Vijayendra's political future by unilaterally announcing him as the candidate from Shikaripura, may come in the way of the party's stand against dynastic politics, as his elder son B Y Raghavendra is already a Member of Parliament from Shivamogga.
Vijayendra was appointed as the party Vice President in July 2020. Before that, he was appointed as BJP youth wing general secretary. Soon after, he was denied a party ticket to contest from Varuna constituency in Mysuru, ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls.
His stakes increased in the party as he was credited by many to have played a key role in BJP's first ever victory in K R Pet and Sira Assembly segments in the by-polls held in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
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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.
