According to a report, the much-watched breakfast meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday failed to resolve the ongoing leadership dispute in the state.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah has urged Shivakumar to assume the chief ministership only after the 2028 Assembly elections. (Photo: Siddaramaiah/X)
Despite days of speculation over a possible change of guard, both leaders reportedly held firm to their positions, a report in the HT quoting sources said, leading to what insiders described as a “bit of an impasse.”
According to sources, Siddaramaiah has urged his deputy to assume the chief ministership only after the 2028 Assembly elections, pushing back against the perceived understanding within the party of a mid-term power-sharing arrangement.
The Congress government in Karnataka completed two-and-a-half years in power, reviving discussions around the purported rotational CM formula reportedly agreed upon when Siddaramaiah took charge in 2023. Under that arrangement, Shivakumar was expected to succeed him halfway into the term.
Congress High Command Steps In as Tensions Rise
Amid heightened buzz over a leadership shuffle, Siddaramaiah invited Shivakumar for breakfast on Saturday after the Congress high command asked both leaders to discuss the matter privately. The move came ahead of a crucial meeting in Delhi, where senior Congress figures — including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge — are expected to review the Karnataka power equation on Sunday, November 30.
According to another report, the Karnataka issue will be taken up during the Congress Strategy Group meeting ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament.
Shivakumar posted photos from the morning meeting, showing the two leaders seated at a dining table.
“A productive discussion on Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead,” he wrote, without mentioning the leadership question.
However, his recent cryptic social-media posts — including lines such as “keeping one’s word is greatest strength” and “word power is world power” — have kept speculation alive. Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, has reiterated that he intends to complete his full five-year term, citing the “mandate given by the people.”
Despite official denials from Shivakumar of any discussions with the Congress high command on replacing Siddaramaiah, the internal churn has continued to dominate Karnataka’s political landscape.
Leadership Stalemate Deepens Ahead of Winter Session
The stalemate comes at a politically sensitive moment as the Congress works to present a united front ahead of the Winter Session. Party leaders are keen to avoid internal rifts spilling into the national spotlight, especially with the BJP sharpening its attacks on the Karnataka government.
The next 48 hours — especially the expected high-level discussions in Delhi — are likely to determine whether the Congress stays with status quo or moves toward enforcing the rotational formula.
