Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar meet clears air over Karnataka leadership row

Breakfast meeting between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar helped settle speculation over leadership issues, with leaders asserting there are no differences and they will follow the high command's guidance

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar held a breakfast meeting on Saturday to address recent media-created confusion regarding the state leadership. Both leaders emphasised that there are no differences between them and no such issues will arise in the future.

 

Siddaramaiah said the discussion was aimed at clarifying misunderstandings, stressing that the state leadership would continue to follow the directives of the Congress high command. “We don’t have differences. Even today there are no differences, and there won’t be any in the future as well,” the CM said, adding that media reports had created unnecessary confusion.

 

The breakfast meeting, held at Siddaramaiah’s Cauvery residence, was convened following intervention by the Congress high command, which had asked the two leaders to resolve the issue amid rising speculation of a leadership change. The matter had intensified after the Congress government completed 2.5 years in office, with the BJP warning it may move a no-confidence motion if the power tussle persisted.

 

Speaking at the press conference, Shivakumar said that the Congress came to power due to public support and the party must continue to live up to the people’s expectations. Dismissing notions of factionalism, he stressed, “We don’t have factionalism. We will go together, take everyone along and abide by the party high command.”

 

Shivakumar described the meeting as “productive” and reiterated that the state leadership would work together in unity. He also said the party would go by the guidance of the high command and that strategy for the 2028 assembly polls was discussed. “We will fight the 2028 assembly election under the leadership of AICC president Rahul Gandhi,” he said, adding that the government remains committed to fulfilling public expectations.

 

Adding a personal touch, the Chief Minister’s Office noted that the menu for the meeting included idli, vada, sambar, chutney, and uppittu (Upma).

 

(With inputs from PTI)