Karnataka’s political tension eased slightly on Saturday after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met for a breakfast discussion at the CM’s residence in Bengaluru. The meeting was arranged following a clear directive from the Congress high command, which has stepped in to calm the escalating leadership tussle in the state.
For days, Karnataka has been abuzz with speculation over whether the Congress will introduce a power-sharing arrangement between the two senior leaders. Supporters of Shivakumar, who also heads the state Congress unit, have been pushing strongly for a rotational chief ministership. They claim that an informal understanding was reached after the 2023 Assembly win to divide the five-year term between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Shivakumar, however, has publicly maintained a measured tone. On Friday, he signalled that he may travel to New Delhi soon and said Delhi was the party’s “temple,” emphasising that major decisions rest with the high command. He added that he was “not in a hurry” for the top post and would accept whatever the party decides. His guarded remarks followed days of political messaging, including a cryptic social media post about the importance of “keeping one’s word,” which was widely interpreted as a reference to the alleged power-sharing pact.
Siddaramaiah, for his part, has insisted that the mandate given to him in 2023 was for five years. However, after receiving a call from the central leadership, he invited Shivakumar for Saturday’s breakfast meeting and said the two would “discuss everything.” He also reiterated that he would abide by the decision taken by the party leadership.
The outcome of the meeting has not been disclosed, but party sources indicate that the high command is likely to take a final call soon. For now, the meeting serves as a temporary pause in the growing rift within Karnataka’s ruling party.