Decision on leadership change should be made by Rahul Gandhi, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that any decision on a change in Congress leadership will be taken only by Rahul Gandhi, and the party will accept whatever he decides.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said he has already discussed the matter with senior leaders. “Rahul Gandhi will decide, we are committed to accepting his decision,” he said.
The Chief Minister dismissed ongoing speculation about leadership change, calling it a “media creation”. He said the issue had already been addressed in the Legislative Assembly and there was no need to repeatedly raise the same question.
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Responding to a question on former minister K.N. Rajanna meeting Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah said there was nothing unusual about it. “Let him meet, Shivakumar is the state Congress president, what is wrong in meeting him?” he asked.
It doesn’t matter whether I was in power or someone else was. It is not correct to say that I made, Rajanna the Apex Bank chairman. The appointment was made by the government when S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said.
When asked about the status of the upcoming state budget, Siddaramaiah said he would share details once the preparation process begins.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
