Senior BJP leader Eshwarappa expresses displeasure over indiscipline in party, blames Cong turncoats
Shivamogga (K'taka) (PTI): With statements from some Karnataka BJP leaders that "adjustment politics" contributed to the party's rout in the Assembly elections sparking off a political debate, veteran leader K S Eshwarappa on Monday expressed displeasure about party discipline being "flouted", and urged the state president to take necessary steps to curb it.
Accepting that there is some amount of indiscipline in the BJP, the former deputy chief minister, while blaming the Congress' "influence" on a few in the party for it, said that the party high command is strong and will take action at an appropriate time to control it.
"It is unfortunate that such discussions are happening openly in the BJP. If such things have happened, it should have been discussed sitting inside four walls. I have spoken to our state president and have requested him to call those who were speaking openly, and talk to them and end the issue," Eshwarappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I will also request those who are making open statements -- that the party workers are already in pain due to election loss -- let's not give open statements that may further hurt the disciplined party. If anything, bring it to the notice of the state president and leadership."
Asked whether the discipline in BJP has "gone", the senior leader blamed defectors from the Congress for the purported change. "Here and there, discipline has gone as the party has grown. When only four of us were there, there was a lot of discipline. Today, BJP has presence across the country, it is now the world's largest party. So here and there, Congress' wind has affected us, as many from Congress have also joined us," he claimed.
When it was pointed out that it was BJP leaders who got people from Congress to join the party, he said, "As we got them, we are suffering today... Our high command is not weak and will take action when necessary."
In the May 10 Karnataka elections, the Congress ousted the BJP from power, winning 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly. BJP got just 66 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda managed a mere 19.
Mysuru MP Pratap Simha had recently alleged that some leaders of the BJP were involved in "adjustment politics" with a section of the Congress leaders, and it was one among the factors that contributed to the party's defeat in the Assembly polls.
Questioning why Congress leaders had not lodged complaints against the BJP government regarding the "40 per cent commission" among other scams during the previous regime, after creating a hue and cry on the issue, he had said, "If there is no adjustment with BJP leaders, these allegations should be probed,"
Simha had also pointed out that though the then ruling BJP leaders had threatened to make public the Kempanna Commission report, which went into alleged denotification of land in Arkavathy Layout during the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress regime, it was never tabled in the State Legislature.
BJP national secretary C T Ravi too had recently claimed that there was "adjustment politics" within the BJP, which had led to the party's defeat.
Though Simha and Ravi had not named anyone, it was largely seen as comments directed at former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor B S Yediyurappa.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said he had told Prathap Simha, who had made open statements, that it was "not right".
"Bommai did a good job for two-and-half years. In politics, some times despite good work, due to various perceptions, we might have lost. But when we lost, indulging in such public discussion is not right. I have advised that if you (Simha) have any issues, speak to state or national leaders or those concerned, and he has agreed," he said.
Asked about Eshwarappa's statement being seen as him blaming those who joined the BJP from Congress for indiscipline within, Joshi said that was not his intention, and that he has spoken in his natural course.
"What he (Eshwarappa) meant was -- looking at Congress, some of our own have also become like them," he added.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
