Will continue as CM and present future budgets, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that he would continue in office and also present state budgets in the future.
His statement comes amidst an intense power struggle in the ruling Congress, with the D K Shivakumar camp mounting pressure on the party high command for a leadership change.
At least 15 MLAs and about a dozen MLCs have camped in New Delhi to push the party leadership to make Shivakumar the next Chief Minister, Congress sources said.
According to reports, the demand is based on a power-sharing agreement reached in 2023, under which Siddaramaiah was to serve as the CM for two and a half years (till November 20) before making way for Shivakumar.
Responding to a query on some MLAs and MLCs camping in Delhi, he said the Congress High Command has to decide on the leadership change, cabinet reshuffle or government restructuring.
“Has High Command spoken on it? We can’t help it. Earlier also some people were discussing it, and now they might have gone (to Delhi). Finally, Shivakumar and I have to listen to whatever the High Command says,” he added.
To a question whether he would present the next two state budgets, Siddaramaiah retorted, “Why are you asking this? Yes, I will continue. I will present the budgets in future also.”
Asked whether he would meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, he said, “Kharge is coming to Bengaluru today (Friday). Once he comes, I will meet him.”
On directing the Ministers and MLAs from speaking in public on leadership change, the Chief Minister said, “Everyone has to obey whatever the party high command decides – be it ministers or MLAs. I and Shivakumar should also follow it.”
When pointed out that Shivakumar’s brother D K Suresh had said "Siddaramaiah never backtracks from his word", the CM said, “Yes. He is right. I have never backtracked from my statement. I implemented all five pre-poll guarantees I had promised.”
When pressed on whether this applied to handing over power to Shivakumar, the Chief Minister said the decision is left to the high command.
On Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy’s Delhi tour, Siddaramaiah said, “I don’t know whether he has gone there. D K Shivakumar has already said. What else should I say?”
He added, “I had a word with Chaluvarayaswamy. Today also, I spoke to him through video conference. He said he has gone to Delhi to meet the Union Agriculture Minister.”
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
