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First visuals: Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar meet over breakfast amid Karnataka CM tussle
The power ‘tussle’ within the ruling party comes after reports of an alleged "power sharing" arrangement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023 surfaced.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar met chief minister Siddaramaiah for breakfast at his official residence on Saturday, intending to break the ‘leadership crisis’ over the alleged ‘rotational CM deal’.
The question of a change in leadership had been under discussion for the past two months, but it escalated after November 20, when the Congress government completed two and a half years in office.
While Siddaramaiah has been saying that he was given a mandate to serve as chief minister for the full five-year term, Shivakumar has suggested that he was assured he would become chief minister after two and a half years on a rotational basis.
The Congress high command stepped in on Friday and asked the two leaders to settle the matter through a discussion. After this, Siddaramaiah invited his deputy for a breakfast meeting at his home on Friday.
Before heading to the chief minister’s residence, Shivakumar chose not to comment and said he would speak after leaving Siddaramaiah’s home.
Karnataka CM ‘tussle’: What did Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar discuss?
The meeting reportedly ended without any actual breakthrough, as both leaders are said to have stuck to their respective positions and did not shift from their earlier stance.
Those aware of the matter told HT that Siddaramaiah instead asked Shivakumar to take over the top post in the next assembly elections.
‘Rotational CM deal’ between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar
The power ‘tussle’ within the ruling party comes after the Congress government reached the halfway point of its five year term on November 20 and reports of an alleged "power sharing" arrangement involving chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar in 2023 surfaced.
In 2023, after the party won the elections, Shivakumar was made deputy chief minister reportedly under a “power sharing” or “rotational chief minister” deal, in which he would take charge after two and a half years.
High-stakes meeting involving Rahul, Sonia, Kharge over Karnataka ‘tussle’
A high-stakes meeting of senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge is reportedly on the cards, scheduled for Sunday, November 30.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have said they will follow whatever the party decides.
According to news agency ANI, the Congress high command will discuss the Karnataka leadership tussle in the Strategy Group meeting ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament.
