Sanjay Raut in talks to join Congress, claims Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra minister and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane on Sunday claimed key Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut is holding talks with a leader in Delhi to join the Congress.
Rane pointed out that Raut's Rajya Sabha term is coming to an end and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party does not have enough legislators to ensure his victory for another term. The Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly in the polls held in November.
"Raut should write in Saamana (mouthpiece of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party) about how long he is going to last in the Shiv Sena (UBT). He should write about the leader he is talks with in Delhi to join the Congress. He should also make a statement on this issue," Rane told reporters.
Raut could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.
Rane's comments came against the backdrop of Raut claiming that the discord between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was affecting governance in the state.
In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamna' on Sunday, Raut claimed the "strained relation" between Fadnavis and Shinde was hindering the state's progress.
Raut claimed Shinde was yet to come to terms with the fact that he was not reinstated as chief minister after the November 2024 assembly polls and was desperately trying to regain the position, which Fadnavis fully understands.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are allies.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
