Karnataka: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar met at the latter’s residence over breakfast on Tuesday. The meeting comes amid ongoing rumors of a rift between the two leaders over the Chief Ministerial position in Karnataka. While both have repeatedly reaffirmed that they will abide by the decision of the Congress high command, political circles continue to buzz with speculation.
CM Siddaramaiah today arrived at Shivakumar’s residence for the breakfast meeting, where he was welcomed by the Deputy CM and his brother and former MP DK Suresh.
After their meeting in the morning, addressing the media, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, “There are no differences. DK Shivakumar and I are united. We are running the government. In the future also, we will run the government unitedly.”
Meanwhile, earlier, Home Minister G Parameshwara acknowledged the stir, saying people have different aspirations and they express them at the right time.
G Parameshwara, who is another name in fray for the CM post in the state, called for a “peaceful settlement.”
ANI quoted the Karnataka Home Minister as saying, “It’s a good thing that our leaders are getting together again for breakfast. All we want is a peaceful settlement of whatever has happened over the month or so. As suggested by the high command, they are meeting for the second time. All the issues are settled. It is just reciprocal, nothing else.”
“Siddaramaiah had called Shivakumar, and now Shivakumar has called Siddaramaiah. It’s a nice development. We normally have a CLP meeting, followed by dinner together. Everything is going smoothly. Different people have different aspirations. I don’t think it is wrong. Naturally, they express their aspirations when the time comes,” he added.
DK Shivakumar And Siddharamaiah Meeting
This meeting comes after a high-level interaction between the two senior Congress leaders on November 29 morning at Siddaramaiah’s Cauvery residence.
The Saturday meeting was described by Shivakumar as a “productive discussion on Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead”, but it was also seen as an attempt to calm tensions arising from the internal power struggle within the Congress party.
What Is The CM Post ‘Tussle’?
The internal rift over the CM post is rooted in the alleged “power-sharing agreement” of 2023. The rumours of a disagreement have pushed both leaders to meet repeatedly, attempting to avoid a crisis.
Shivakumar’s supporters have been reportedly calling for him to be made Chief Minister for the remaining 2.5 years of the Congress-led government, which has fuelled a political divide within the party.
During the Saturday breakfast, Shivakumar in a post on X stated, “Met Hon’ble CM Siddaramaiah Avaru at Cauvery Residence this morning for a breakfast meeting. A productive discussion on Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead.”
Siddaramaiah, however, reiterated his position that there was no change in his stance.
After an hour-long breakfast of Idli-Sambar and Upma, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar emphasised unity within the party, saying that both leaders have decided to follow whatever decision the Congress high command takes and resolve any “confusion”.
Bureau Report
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