Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met over breakfast at Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, marking their second such meeting in four days, amid Karnataka power tussle. The Tuesday breakfast meeting came shortly after Shivakumar publicly emphasised teamwork, posting on X, “Me and the CM continue to work together as a team. I have invited the Hon’ble CM for breakfast tomorrow to discuss and strengthen our collective efforts to deliver on our promises to Karnataka.”
This interaction follows a high-level meeting on Saturday at Siddaramaiah’s residence. Shivakumar had described that discussion as “productive” and focused on “Karnataka’s priorities and the road ahead.”
Karnataka power sharing tussle
The friction stems from a supposed “power-sharing agreement” within the Congress during its 2023 mandate, which some party workers claim entitles Shivakumar to take over as Chief Minister for the latter half of the government's five-year term.
In recent weeks, several of Shivakumar’s supporters have openly called for him to be elevated to the top post, sparking unrest within the party and prompting a series of strategic meetings between the two leaders.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that Karnataka's administrative machinery has completely collapsed because of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar's tussle. The saffron party has also claimed that seven to eight Congress legislators and ministers are in the race for the CM's post.
"The competition for the chief minister's chair is intensifying day by day. According to information I have, at least seven to eight senior legislators and ministers in the ruling party are competing to somehow become the CM," PTI quoted Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra as saying.
"The voters of the state have given a clear mandate to the Congress and have made the BJP sit in the opposition. The BJP will function as an effective opposition and has no intentions to form the government," he added.