Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar display strong show of unity again amid leadership tussle

Right after the second breakfast meeting with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah once again asserted on December 2 that there were no differences between the leaders. He emphasised that both leaders would run the government unitedly and would continue to do so in the future.

Reiterating that both of them would abide by the decision of the Congress high command on the leadership issue, he said that Shivakumar would become the CM when the high command decides.

Breakfast with DKS

In an apparent display of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar's residence for breakfast, just days after the two met at a breakfast meeting in the CM's residence, in the wake of a raging power tussle.

"This understanding will always be there. There are no differences. D K Shivakumar and I are united; we run the government unitedly. In the future also we will also run the government unitedly," Siddaramaiah told reporters after the meeting.

Also Read: Breakfast Diplomacy 2.0: Sidda, DKS make another show of unity over idli-chicken meal

High command's decision

On the leadership issue, he said, as agreed in the previous breakfast meeting organised at the CM's residence on November 29, both of them would abide by the high command's decision.

"If they (high command) call us, we will definitely go and meet them. Tomorrow, I will meet AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal at a function, where both of us are invited," he noted.

However, there has been no communication from the high command on the timeline for any decision on the matter.

Legislature session

Siddaramaiah was also asked when Shivakumar would assume the office, to which he replied, "When the high command decides."

Also Read: 'Just a pause, not a settlement': Decoding Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar truce

Stating that Shivakumar invited him for breakfast, he said, after the breakfast, both of them discussed the upcoming legislature session starting from December 8 at Belagavi, and the strategy to be adopted. They also discussed on organising a meeting of MPs from Karnataka in Delhi during the ongoing Parliament session on the same day to discuss issues concerning the state.

Cabinet reshuffle

Regarding the cabinet reshuffle, Siddaramaiah said that the high command has to take a decision on it and reiterated that all MLAs were united in the Congress party and there were no differences.

Following the initial breakfast meeting on November 29, as part of an attempt by the Congress high command to break the logjam over the leadership row involving the two leaders, they publicly stated that "there won't be any confusion", and that they would obey the high command on the leadership issue.

Also Read: Karnataka crisis: 'Congress High Command in a weak spot'

The breakfast meetings were seen as a move by the high command to pause the leadership tussle between the two and signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.

The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculations about a change in Chief Minister in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation was fuelled by talks of a 'power-sharing' agreement said to have been arrived at while the party was elected to power in 2023.