E-Paper
Idli, vada and unease: Siddaramaiah-DKS meet ends in smiles but no big breakthrough
According to sources, both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar held firm to their positions during the closed-door meeting at the Karnataka CM’s official residence.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar sat down for a highly anticipated breakfast on Saturday, a meeting meant to calm the chatter over a possible leadership change. But despite the smiles and handshakes at a press conference that followed the idli-vada breakfast, sources familiar with the talks said the discussion “hit a bit of an impasse”.
Both men held firm to their positions during the closed-door meeting at the CM’s official residence, Kaveri, sources told HT. Siddaramaiah is learnt to have asked Shivakumar to take over the chief minister’s post only after the next election in 2028.
The tensions go back to an understanding — never officially confirmed by the Congress but widely spoken of — that Shivakumar would take over as CM once Siddaramaiah completed half his term. With the government hitting the 2.5-year mark on November 20, the buzz about a possible transition has grown louder.
Siddaramaiah, however, has consistently maintained he holds a full five-year mandate. Shivakumar has dropped periodic hints that he expects the Congress to honour its 2023 promise.
The breakfast meeting was arranged after the party leadership intervened on Friday and directed the two leaders to sit together to resolve their differences.
An on camera united front
At the joint press conference after the meeting, both leaders sat shoulder-to-shoulder and insisted there were “no differences”.
Siddaramaiah said, “I had a breakfast meeting with Shivakumar because some unwanted confusion was created. It was created by the media… We don't have differences. Even today there are no differences; there won't be any in future as well. I will ensure that from now on it does not exist.”
He said both leaders agreed to follow the party’s instructions and would update the leadership on whatever understanding they reached: “From tomorrow, there will be no confusion. Even now, none exists.”
Shivakumar, too, dismissed any internal rift, stressing that the Congress owes it to the people to remain united. "We don't have factionalism… We will go together, take everyone along and abide by the party high command," he said.
Earlier, in a social media post after the meeting, he described the talks as “productive” and said the discussion focused on “Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead”.
Discomfort lingers
Despite the show of unity, party insiders said the core issue, whether the rotational CM arrangement will be implemented, remains unresolved. The breakfast meeting, they said, eased the political temperature but did not settle the leadership question.
The disagreement has been simmering for nearly two months. The BJP, watching closely, has warned it may bring a no-confidence motion if the Congress’s internal tussle continues.
In response, CM Siddaramaiah said that the party was preparing to face the BJP and JD(S) in the assembly.
