Karnataka BJP will face Assembly polls under collective leadership: Yediyurappa
Belagavi (KTK) (PTI): Karnataka BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said 2023 assembly polls in the state will be under a "collective leadership", and that he along with other leaders will travel across to bring the party back to power.
The 79-year-old former Chief Minister even stated that he is committed to travel across the state for another 10-years, aimed at strengthening the party.
"There is no question of (me taking) leadership, under collective leadership we will travel across the state and will put in all the efforts to win the upcoming polls."
"As voters are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, there will be no hurdles in our path towards victory. We don't have any doubts about it," Yediyurappa told reporters in response to a question.
The senior leader said he is ready to travel any time anywhere across the state.
"I will travel across the state for another 10 years and will see to it that no party worker is hurt. I will take everyone into confidence and work towards strengthening the party. This is my commitment," he added.
The "Lingayat strongman" had led the BJP become the single largest party in 2018 assembly elections and subsequently ensured it came to power in 2019, with the support of a few Congress and JD(S) MLAs who defected to his party.
He stepped down as Chief Minister in July last year, paving the way for his confidant Basavaraj Bommai to succeed him.
Hitting out at Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, Yediyurappa said, the Congress leader is speaking lightly about RSS and BJP leaders as he is desperate, after getting to know about Congress's "defeat" in the upcoming elections.
"He (Siddaramaiah) is speaking indiscriminately, as he is desperate. He is speaking lightly about others as he is sure about his party's defeat", Yediyurappa said.
"Speaking lightly about RSS and others has become an obsession for him; it will in no way benefit him. In fact he is belittling his position as Leader of Opposition and former CM, by his statements," he said.
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Foreign Secretary Misri reviews defence, trade ties, West Asia with senior US officials
Washington (PTI): India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met senior US officials here and discussed ways to further deepen the defence and trade relations and exchanged views on the developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.
On a three-day visit here, Misri met under secretaries Michael Duffey and Elbridge Colby in the Department of Defence, and under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce.
“Sustaining the momentum of India-US defence exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had another wide ranging conversation with Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby @USWPColby at the Pentagon, covering the ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia,” the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on X.
Colby visited India last month and met Misri in New Delhi on the sidelines of the India-US Defence Policy Group meeting.
Misri also had a “fruitful interaction” with Duffey, the Under Secretary in the Department of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, at the Pentagon near here.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Mike Duffey @USDASDuffey at the Pentagon,” the Indian Embassy said in another post on X.
The two principals discussed ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year, the embassy said.
Misri also met under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce here.
Kessler is the Under Secretary for Bureau of Industry and Security, while Kimmitt is the Under Secretary for International Trade Administration.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri met Under Secretaries Jeffrey Kessler @BISgov and William Kimmitt @TradeGov to expand cooperation in commercial and critical technologies – key to transforming the India-US partnership for the 21st century. They also discussed building resilient and trusted supply chains,” the embassy said.
Misri is visiting the US to review bilateral trade and defence relations and discuss global developments, including the crisis in West Asia.
His visit comes as both the US and India work to stabilise the ties after a spell of uncertainty and strain.
The relations witnessed a major downturn after the US imposed punitive tariffs on India, and President Donald Trump made controversial assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes last May.
