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After Sidda-DKS breakfast bonhomie, some dinner discord in Karnataka? Congress mystery persists
DK Shivakumar says “no other politics” in meeting with “some friends” at Belagavi, where assembly session is on; comes after reports of dinner meet by CM's bloc
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday sought to dismiss speculation about the nature of a Thursday night meeting with some leaders of the party, even as the tussle over the top post in the Congress government continues to dominate the state's politics.
“There was no dinner meeting or anything,” he said, adding, “I had gone for a dinner to my former DCC (district Congress committee) president to pay respect; they contributed a lot to Karnataka, to Belagavi,” as per news agency ANI. On who else was there, he said, “I went along with my friends. There is no other politics.”
This came after news agency PTI reported, citing party sources, that Shivakumar and at least 30 Congress MLAs, including some ministers, met for dinner Thursday night in Belagavi.
This dinner came a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with ministers and a few legislators considered close to him, had dinner at a gathering hosted by former MLA Feroz Sait, also in Belagavi.
This latest turn of events further deepened the mystery over a possibly change at the top.
Talk of a tussle has been there since the start of the term in 2023, but it gained traction when the government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, because it was believed that there was a generational handover pact between Siddaramaiah, 77, and Shivakumar, 63.
Meals have been at the centre of the episode.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar met over breakfast at each other's residences, on the instructions of the party leadership, to signal a truce just weeks ago. But it was only a pause, as both said the decision of the “high command” — essentially Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, plus party chief Mallikarjun Kharge — will be “acceptable” to them. They denied any rift with one another, though.
The party was apparently keen to strike some bonhomie ahead of the legislature session being held in Belagavi. But all the action within the party shifted to Belagavi too, evident in the dinner meetings.
Keen to make a point, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka of the BJP commented, "As compared to the Siddaramaiah of 2013, the Siddaramaiah of 2025 is the worst. This term is the worst in the history of Karnataka. Totally unpopular." He was referring to Siddaramaiah's earlier term as CM, 2013–18.
BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy alleged that the tussle is leading to the state's interests being ignored. “CM is saying that he would continue for the full term, but the other group is pulling his leg and wants to change power... Amid this tussle, the government has failed in its responsibilities,” he said.
In terms of numbers, the Congress has comfortable majority in the 224-member assembly, with over 130 MLAs. The number game within the party — over the purported “2.5-years-each formula” — continued to be played, though.
