Bengaluru, 29 Nov

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar sought to project unity on Saturday as the two leaders shared a breakfast of idli, vada, sambar, chutney and uppittu at the Chief Minister’s residence, Cauvery.

The meeting, convened at the behest of the Congress High Command, came amid an escalating leadership row that has gripped Karnataka’s 2.5-year-old Congress government. Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, both leaders dismissed reports of discord.

Siddaramaiah said the breakfast was aimed at clearing “unwanted confusion” created by the media. “We don’t have differences. There are no differences today, and there won’t be any in the future. I will ensure that it does not exist,” he said. He added that the two would jointly lead the party into the 2028 Assembly elections and that the government remained united, with no ministers or ruling MLAs acting against it.

The Chief Minister also said the government was prepared to face the Opposition during the legislature session commencing from 1 December. With the BJP warning that it may move a no-confidence motion if the leadership dispute continued, Siddaramaiah said the Congress had strategised on how to counter the BJP and JD(S) in the Assembly. “If they bring an adjournment motion, we will tackle it,” he said.

Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, stressed that there was “no factionalism”. He said people had brought the Congress to power and the party must live up to their expectations. He confirmed that the discussion covered strategies for the 2028 polls, handling the Opposition in the Belagavi winter session, and preparing for a possible no-confidence motion.

Shivakumar also reaffirmed that the Congress would fight the 2028 elections under the leadership of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi. “The party is in a very difficult stage in the country. We still have confidence that Karnataka will play a major role in its revival. We will repeat in 2028 what we achieved in 2023,” he said. In a social media post earlier, he described the breakfast meeting as “productive”.

The leadership issue has simmered for two months and intensified after 20 November, when the government completed 2.5 years in office. Siddaramaiah has insisted he has a full five-year mandate as CM, while Shivakumar has hinted that he was promised rotation after 2.5 years. The Congress high command stepped in on Friday, directing the two leaders to resolve the matter through dialogue—leading to Saturday’s highly watched breakfast meeting.

Congress sources told Salar News that the party’s top brass was keen for both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to come to terms, and a meeting over breakfast was considered the way forward. During the meeting, Shivakumar is reported to have broached the issue of the confidential understanding on a “rotational chief ministership for 2.5 years”. Initially, the CM is said to have denied any such understanding, but later agreed. Siddaramaiah is reported to have said that he was ready to give up his post anytime the Congress high command asked him to do so.