Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 2: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday sought to signal unity amid ongoing speculation over a leadership change in the state Congress, stating that they would continue to run the government together. The two leaders met over breakfast at Shivakumar’s residence, their second such interaction in four days.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Siddaramaiah said there were no differences between them and reiterated that both leaders would abide by any decision taken by the party high command. When asked whether Shivakumar could become chief minister, Siddaramaiah replied, “When the high command says.”
“There are no differences. Me and D K Shivakumar are united. We will run the government together. All our MLAs are united, and together we will face the opposition. We follow the same ideology and will work together to bring the party back to power,” he said. He added that their unity was not new and that both leaders remained committed to following directions from Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership.
The chief minister’s visit to Shivakumar’s residence comes ahead of the Belagavi legislature session beginning December 8. The two had met for a similar breakfast interaction at the chief minister’s Cauvery residence on Saturday. While the earlier meeting featured a traditional south Indian spread, Shivakumar hosted Siddaramaiah on Tuesday with Nati-style chicken dishes and idlis.
Siddaramaiah said the discussions covered preparations for the upcoming assembly session, including farmers’ issues and the BJP’s planned no-confidence motion. He said topics such as minimum support price for maize and sugarcane, and concerns raised by poultry and fishery farmers, were also taken up. A meeting of Congress MLAs is expected on December 8.
The chief minister said both leaders would meet the party high command if called to Delhi. He also mentioned that he would be meeting AICC general secretary K C Venugopal at an event on Wednesday.
Shivakumar, in a post on X, said he was honoured to host the chief minister and reiterated their commitment to Karnataka’s development.
The BJP criticised the meeting, with MP Basavaraj Bommai remarking that Karnataka had turned into a stage for political theatrics. He questioned when the government would focus on public welfare if senior leaders were occupied with “breakfast diplomacy.”
The show of unity comes amid speculation that the Congress may revisit an alleged power-sharing understanding said to have been discussed in 2023, under which Siddaramaiah would hand over the chief ministership halfway through the term. The party has never confirmed such an agreement, and both leaders have publicly denied its existence.