Karnataka CM Tussle: Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar Hold Breakfast Meet as Parameshwara Urges Truce

Amid renewed factional tensions in Karnataka’s ruling Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar for breakfast on Tuesday, even as state Home Minister G. Parameshwara urged senior leaders to work toward a “peaceful settlement.”

Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence in the morning, where he was received by the deputy CM and his brother, former MP D. K. Suresh. The meeting comes days after the two leaders held a high-level discussion at the CM’s Cauvery residence on November 29.

Parameshwara Urges Calm, Says Issues ‘Settled’

Acknowledging the internal unease within the party, Parameshwara said, “It’s a good thing that our leaders are getting together again for breakfast. All we want is a peaceful settlement of whatever has happened over the month or so.”

“As suggested by the high command, they are meeting for the second time. All the issues are settled. It is just reciprocal, nothing else,” he told ANI.

Parameshwara also reiterated his long-held claim that he remains a contender for the chief minister’s post. “I will always be in the race for CM,” he had said on November 24, noting that he was the KPCC chief when the Congress returned to power in 2013.

On Tuesday, he described the meeting as part of normal party dynamics: “Different people have different aspirations… Naturally, they express their aspirations when the time comes.”

Leadership Tensions Simmer

Saturday’s earlier breakfast meeting—featuring idli-sambar and upma—was seen as another attempt to ease tensions stemming from demands by Shivakumar’s supporters that he be made chief minister for the remaining 2.5 years of the government, citing a purported 2023 “power-sharing agreement.”

After that interaction, Shivakumar posted on X that the meeting included a “productive discussion on Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead.” Siddaramaiah, however, has maintained that his stand remains unchanged. Both leaders have publicly affirmed their commitment to party unity and said they will abide by the Congress high command’s decision.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge last week signalled that the central leadership will intervene soon. “After going to Delhi, I will call three or four important leaders and discuss… We will decide how to move forward and put an end to the confusion,” he said.