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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North Korea fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, Seoul says
Seoul (AP): North Korea on Saturday fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, South Korea's military said, staging its own show of force as the rival South conducts a joint military exercise with the United States.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, but didn't immediately say how far they flew. Japan's Defense Ministry said the weapons landed in waters outside the country's exclusive economic zone.
The South's Joint Chiefs said the military has stepped up surveillance and is maintaining readiness against possible additional launches while closely sharing information with the US and Japan.
The launches came as the US and South Korean militaries conduct their annual springtime exercises involving thousands of troops while the Trump administration also wages an escalating war in the Middle East.
The war has raised concerns about potential security lapses in South Korea, as local media — citing security camera footage and other images — have speculated that the US is relocating some missile defense assets stationed in the country to support operations against Iran.
When asked by The Associated Press this week whether US Forces Korea was moving interceptor missiles from its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system in Seongju to the Middle East, President Lee Jae Myung's office said it could not confirm details about US military operations.
The office said the potential relocation of US military assets would not affect the allies' defense posture against nuclear-armed North Korea, while also citing South Korea's conventional military strength. It earlier gave a similar response to reports about the possible relocation of Patriot missile defense systems from South Korea.
North Korea has long described the allies' drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations or weapons testing.
The North in previous years has conducted numerous salvo launches of missiles or artillery while describing them as simulations of nuclear attacks against targets in South Korea.
The launches came days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday criticized Washington and Seoul for proceeding with their drills at a perilous moment for global security, and warned that any challenge to the North's safety would bring “terrible consequences.”
Without directly referring to the Iran war, Kim Yo Jong said the US-South Korea drills undermine regional stability at a time when the global security structure is “collapsing rapidly and wars break out in different parts of the world due to the reckless acts of outrageous international rogues.”
North Korea's Foreign Ministry has released separate statements denouncing the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran and expressing support for Tehran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, which runs through March 19, is one of two annual command post exercises conducted by the militaries of the United States and South Korea. The largely computer-simulated drills are designed to test the allies' joint operational capabilities, while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges. Freedom Shield will be accompanied by a field training program called Warrior Shield.
North Korea has repeatedly rejected Washington and Seoul's calls to resume diplomacy aimed at winding down its nuclear program. Talks derailed in 2019 following the collapse of Kim Jong Un's second summit with US President Donald Trump during his first term.
Kim has made Russia the priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large amounts of military equipment to support Moscow's war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for aid and military technology.
