As tensions within Karnataka Congress continue to simmer, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday sought to downplay the ongoing power struggle with his deputy, DK Shivakumar, even as he acknowledged that the party leadership has stepped in to defuse the situation. The high command has instructed both leaders to sit down “over breakfast” on Saturday and attempt to find common ground.
The meeting is slated for 9:30 am at Cauvery, the Chief Minister’s official residence, marking the first direct conversation between the two since demands for a leadership change grew louder from Shivakumar’s camp.
Breakfast Meeting To Break Impasse
For weeks, the political temperature in Karnataka has surged amid claims from Shivakumar’s supporters that he was promised the Chief Minister’s chair midway through the government’s term—a deal Siddaramaiah’s team firmly disputes. The Chief Minister, while speaking on Friday, confirmed the intervention from Delhi, stating that the high command called both of them and asked them to talk. “So I invited him for breakfast. We will discuss everything then,” he said, as per a report on Hindustan Times.
Shivakumar, who was reportedly weighing a trip to Delhi for consultations, has remained guarded. His brother DK Suresh has already arrived in the capital, fueling further speculation over whether the Congress is considering a shift in leadership.
High Command Keeps A Tight Leash
Siddaramaiah has repeatedly maintained that he intends to complete his five-year term and reiterated that Saturday’s interaction is purely informal, explaining, “Whatever the high command says, I will go by it.”
Congress minister Eashwar Khandre later confirmed that the central leadership has advised all party figures to refrain from public commentary on the issue, signalling a desire to contain internal discord.
Unity Optics But Subtle Undercurrents
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar appeared together at a government function in a bid to project cohesion. However, the unease was evident, especially when Shivakumar, in a pointed reference, praised Sonia Gandhi’s “sacrifice” in enabling Manmohan Singh’s elevation as Prime Minister after 2004—an analogy many interpreted as a gentle nudge toward power-sharing, reported India Today.
Party insiders told India Today that the Congress is evaluating whether a mid-term change might benefit the government politically. Should a transition occur, Shivakumar is being viewed as the natural successor. The much-discussed “2.5-year rotational deal” remains in the realm of political whispers, with Siddaramaiah’s supporters insisting no such arrangement ever existed.
