Karnataka’s ruling Congress attempted to put on a display of unity on Saturday as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met for a much-anticipated breakfast discussion at the CM’s residence. The meeting, held against the backdrop of weeks of speculation over a possible leadership change, was followed by a joint press conference where both leaders sought to downplay any internal friction.
Shivakumar is expected to head to Delhi later in the day to brief the Congress high command—including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi—on the discussions held in Bengaluru. The high command has been monitoring the situation closely as murmurs of a power-sharing pact continue to circulate within the party.
‘No Differences Between Us’: Siddaramaiah
Addressing reporters alongside his deputy, Siddaramaiah insisted the two were in sync on the party’s political direction. Declaring that there was no rift, he said, “There are no differences between us and there will be no differences in the future…”
The Chief Minister added that the duo had discussed the party’s long-term priorities rather than the leadership question that has dominated political chatter. “Our agenda is the 2028 elections. Local body elections are important. We discussed them. We also discussed bringing back Congress in the 2028 elections. We discussed that we will go together. There are no differences between us and there will be no differences in the future…”
Breakfast Meeting Meant for Optics, Not Negotiation
Despite intense public interest in the encounter, Siddaramaiah insisted the meeting itself was informal. Speaking with a smile, he remarked, “The breakfast was good. We didn’t talk about anything there. We just had breakfast. DKS came to our house today…DKS invited me to his house.”
