Leadership issue: D K Suresh hopes CM will 'keep his word'
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress leader D K Suresh on Wednesday expressed hope that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would honour the alleged power-sharing pact with Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
"Even today, I hope that, though delayed, he (CM) will keep his word," Suresh told reporters in response to a question on his earlier statement indirectly referring to the alleged power-sharing pact in the state.
Addressing Shivakumar's visit to New Delhi, the party MP said, "Whenever in Delhi, we meet our party high command if we get an opportunity and discuss things concerning the party or constituency or other matters."
While some meet the high command for personal favours, he said, "Shivakumar is not such a character."
Asked whether Shivakumar's patience on the leadership issue has become a political weakness, Suresh said, "Time will answer everything."
Internal tensions flared again after CM Siddaramaiah's son and MLC Yathindra last week insisted that his father will complete his five-year term.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government formation in 2023.
Taking a swipe at Yathindra over his statement, Suresh said, "I'm not as influential or knowledgeable as he is. Whatever he says is final."
Suresh backed Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, who questioned why he was served a notice by the party for making statements on the leadership issue while Yathindra faced no such action.
Suresh said the party's policy should be same for everyone.
Hussain was earlier served notice by the party for public statements on Shivakumar becoming Chief Minister.
Asked about some Congress legislators reportedly planning a foreign trip amid the internal turmoil, Suresh clarified that Shivakumar was not involved in it.
"... Who is going? Why unnecessarily blame Shivakumar for this? The trip may be their (legislators) personal or someone else is sponsoring... you should ask those organising. I can only clarify that D K Shivakumar has nothing to do with it," he said.
He suggested that linking it to Shivakumar is an attempt to tarnish his image. "Maybe by some people within our party or opposition. I'm not sure".
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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