CM change talks 'irrelevant', Siddaramaiah will complete 5 years: Cong leader
Koppal (PTI): Senior Congress MLA and Chief Minister's Economic Advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy on Sunday termed speculations about CM change as "irrelevant", and asserted that incumbent Siddaramaiah, who was elected to the post by a majority of Congress legislators, will complete five years term.
Reacting to voices from within the party that Deputy CM D K Shivakumar would be made the chief minister, Rayareddy said, anyone can aspire for the post, and pointed out that his own supporters want to see him as the CM, as he too has won equal number of elections as the former.
"It is irrelevant. Our party high command has said that one should not talk on the chief minister change issue, but still I want to say one thing -- chief minister was chosen by the party high command after gathering the opinion of legislators," Reddy said in response to a question on talks about CM change.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "There was voting, Siddaramaiah and others contested, and Siddaramaiah got more votes. We were not told that Siddaramaiah will have to leave the post in the middle of his tenure. We voted for him for five years. So I believe that he will be the CM for five years."
Further noting that the matter is left for the party to decide, the Yalburga MLA said, "Siddaramaiah has himself said this."
There has been speculation within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the chief minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Congress MLA from Kunigal H D Ranganath and former Mandya MP L R Shivarame Gowda last week had renewed the debate about chief minister change by claiming that Shivakumar will become the next CM of the state. Gowda also said that it will happen in November.
On some voices demanding that D K Shivakumar should become the CM, Reddy said, some people have demanded that he become the chief minister.
"It won't happen, some people even say that I should become (the CM). Am I anything less? I have also been elected an equal number of times as Shivakumar. I have been an MLA since 1985. No one is less," he said.
Stating that any one can aspire to become CM, the former minister said, "Let him (Shivakumar) also become....any one can become. People take names of their leader for the CM post out of affection and admiration towards them. However, according to me Siddaramaiah will be chief minister for five years."
Rejecting any political revolution as being speculated in the party and political circles, he said, "There is peace, where is revolution? We are all peace loving people."
Siddaramaiah too last week had once again asserted that he will complete a full five years term, by stating that he has been CM for 2.5 years in his second term, and will remain in the post for the remaining 2.5 years.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
