Shivakumar holds ‘productive discussion’ with CM Siddaramaiah amid Karnataka Congress power tussle

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar held a "productive discussion on Karnataka's priorities and the road ahead" with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while meeting him at his Cauvery residence for breakfast on Saturday morning.

The breakfast meeting between the top two leaders in Karnataka comes amid the Congress party's internal power tussle, with Shivakumar's supporters calling for him to be made Chief Minister for the remaining 2.5 years of the Congress-led government. The meeting was called with a hope of resolving the power tussle, with Shivakumar set to go to Delhi to meet with the Congress high command.

"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," Shivakumar posted on X in Kannada and English.

Amid an escalating power tussle over the Chief Minister's chair, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah met his Deputy DK Shivakumar at his residence for a high-stakes breakfast meeting on Saturday, where the two leaders attempted to cool tempers over plates of traditional idli and sambar. CM Siddaramaiah had invited Shivakumar earlier in order to resolve the ongoing crisis within the party.

The legal advisor to CM AS Ponnanna was also present at the meeting.

Amid the tussle, Siddaramaiah said there is no change in his stance, adding, "The high command has called both of us, so I have invited him (DK Shivakumar) for breakfast, and we will talk there. As I said earlier, I will accept whatever the high command says; there is no change in my stand. Even he (DK Shivakumar) said that whatever the high command says, we'll follow that."  The Congress is likely to discuss the crisis with the central leaders after the party's strategy group meeting ahead of the winter session of Parliament on November 30.

The high command, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, is expected to make a decision soon. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have expressed willingness to abide by the party's decision.

The tussle, fueled by the "power-sharing agreement" of 2023 between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, has pushed each side's loyalists to lobby for their leaders' claims to the state's top post.