Karnataka power tussle: When will D K Shivakumar become CM? Siddaramaiah answers

Both of them will go to Delhi on December 8 for a meeting with MPs representing Karnataka; 'Will meet high command if I get a call,' says Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar sent out another message of unity after a breakfast meeting at the latter's residence in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Both the leaders maintained that they would obey the high command.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar reiterated that they are united, follow the same ideology and would continue to run the government in unison. Siddaramaiah said they would also together face the 2028 Assembly elections.

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

When asked when will Shivakumar become the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said, "When the high command decides".

Regarding Cabinet regij, he said, "The high command has to take a decision on it."

They said they discussed party and political issues after the breakfast. The strategy to be adopted for the legislature session starting in Belagavi December 8 was also discussed.

The two leaders said they would be travelling to Delhi on December 8 for a meeting with all MPs representing Karnataka, during the ongoing Parliament session, where State-related issues, including those of sugarcane and maize growers, would be discussed.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah having breakfast at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's residence in Bengaluru on Tuesday.    

They said if they get a call from the party high command, they will meet them.

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

So far, there is no communication from the high command on the timeline for any decision on the matter. The Chief Minister, in response to a question said, "If they (high command) call us, we will definitely go and meet them. Tomorrow, I will be meeting AICC general secretary K C Venugopal at a function in Mangaluru, where both of us have been invited."

Shivakumar, replying to a question, said that all MLAs are united in the Congress and there are no differences.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah drove down to the Deputy Chief Minister's Sadashivanagar residence in Bengaluru, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother and former Congress MP D K Suresh.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined the two leaders for breakfast, which apparently had a combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Shivakumar said they have reaffirmed their commitment to good governance and the continued development of the State under the Congress vision.

"Hosted the Hon'ble CM for breakfast at my residence today as we reaffirm our commitment to good governance and the continued development of our state under the Congress vision," Shivakumar posted on 'X'.

Though this is being projected as a reciprocal visit, after Shivakumar visited the CM's official residence on November 29 for a similar breakfast meeting, the political ramifications of it are being keenly watched, as it is taking place as per the directions of the Congress high command.

On Monday, Shivakumar had said that he and the Chief Minister were "working like brothers", while asserting that there were no groups in the state Congress, and blamed the media for creating confusion.

Following the breakfast meeting on November 29, held as part of an attempt by the Congress high command to break the logjam over the leadership row involving the two leaders, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had publicly stated that "there won't be any confusion".

On the leadership issue, the two had maintained that they would obey the high command.