Ministers ready to resign to accommodate unhappy MLAs: D.K. Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Jan 19: Senior Congress leader and Minister D K Shivakumar Saturday said all ministers in the party including him were ready to step aside from the cabinet in the interest of the party to accommodate those MLAs who are dissatisfied.
"We are loyal soldiers of the party. When Dharm Singh government was there I was kept out of the government for political reasons...in the last regime I was MLA for sixth term, Siddaramaiah could not include me in his cabinet (initially)," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said this time it was a coalition government, and several legislators, who were senior to him- V Muniyappa, Ramalinga Reddy, Roshan Baig, H K Patil - are not part of the government.
"If need be, including myself, I'm telling you, we are ready to sacrifice for the party, for the workers, for legislators. Nothing is important.
Party is important to us we want to bring back our party with flying colours," he said in response to a question.
Shivakumar also said the "decision" was arrived at a meeting of Congress ministers held a few days ago.
He said "I voluntarily have offered (to step down).
In the interest of the party, if my leaders want, I'm ready."
To a question how many ministers were ready to resign, he said "All of us are ready..."
The statement by the Congress' "troubleshooter" gains significance as there is simmering discontent within a section in the party over not getting cabinet berth during the recent rejig.
To a question about getting in touch with MLAs, including Nagendra and Umesh Jadhav who were absent from the CLP meeting on Friday, Shivakumar said, "I'm in touch with all MLAs...I don't want to disclose."
He said there were no "rebels" in the party and downplayed dissatisfaction within the party.
"Who is rebel? I don't know, I have not seen any rebels," he said.
To a question how long Congress legislators will stay in the resort, Shivakumar said "Let me see...discussions are on district by district, constituency wise discussions are on (regarding Parliamentary election), also about the development work in each constituency."
Asked whether MLAs would return from the resort tomorrow, without giving any direct response, he said "Can they stay there itself?"
Congress on Friday had shifted all its MLAs to a resort to allegedly "escape" from the BJP's "onslaught."
On BJP going for a statewide tour to study drought, Shivakumar, terming it as a "good" move, assured full cooperation from the government.
He also asked BJP legislators still in Delhi, to put pressure on the Prime Minister and Rural Development Minister "to get back our NREGA money" of about Rs 1,500 crore that is pending with the Centre.
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TN surpasses Gujarat, Maharashtra to become India''s top textile exporter
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu has emerged as India's top state in textile exports, recording shipments worth USD 7,997.17 million for the fiscal year 2024-25, which is an increase of 29.12 per cent over the last four years, the government said.
The state has witnessed a 29 per cent increase in export value in the last four years, an official release said.
In 2020-21, Tamil Nadu's textile exports stood at USD 6,193 million.
Chief Minister M K Stalin said Tamil Nadu has successfully outpaced competitors like Gujarat and Maharashtra to secure the first position.
"Tamil Nadu's export volume of textiles, which was USD 6,193.39 million in 2020-21 due to the planned actions of the Dravidian Model government, rose to USD 7,997.17 million in the next four years. Overall, in India's exports, Tamil Nadu accounts for 21.84 per cent," he wrote in a social media post.
As per the National-Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade data, the value of textile goods shipped from India was USD 36,610 million, of which Tamil Nadu accounted for USD 7,997.17 million.
The National Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade is a dedicated platform launched by the Centre to provide real-time comprehensive data on foreign trade.
"Tamil Nadu is in first place in India in textile export," the release said.
The state has emerged at the top with higher exports among all other states, the release said, adding that schemes implemented by every government department led to a multifaceted growth of the State.
Gujarat bagged the second rank with exports of USD 5,646.01 million followed by Maharashtra at USD 3,831.29 million, it added.
