Following directions from the Congress top brass, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday invited his deputy DK Shivakumar for a breakfast meeting on Saturday.
"The party high command had called me and him and asked us to have a meeting. Hence, I have invited him for breakfast tomorrow. We will discuss when he comes," Siddaramaiah said. "There is no change in my stand and I have said I will listen to whatever the high command says. Both of us have said that we will obey whatever the party high command says."
Shivakumar's recalls Sonia Gandhi's 'sacrifice'
The development comes after Shivakumar pointed out that veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had made a 'sacrifice' by offering the prime minister's position to Dr Manmohan Singh in 2004.
Speaking at a government function in Bengaluru, Shivakumar recalled that ex-President APJ Abdul Kalam wanted Sonia Gandhi to become the prime minister, but she proposed Manmohan Singh's name for the top post because he was an "expert in economics". Interestingly, he made the remark while Siddaramaiah was sitting beside him during the event.
"Sonia Gandhi worked as All India Congress president for 20 years. She sacrificed her power. Abdul Kalam called Sonia Gandhi to become the next Prime Minister of India. She refused that position and instead, suggested Manmohan Singh, who was an expert in economics, to become the next Prime Minister country' development. Through her, today's Asha workers schemes have come into force," he said.
The ongoing power tussle between Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar
The tussle between the two leaders is not something new and it could be traced back to the 2023 Karnataka elections, when reportedly a 2.5-year formula was devised by the Congress top brass to resolve their disputes. With the Siddaramaiah government completing its half-term, Shivakumar supporters have started pushing for their leader to become the chief minister.
However, Siddaramaiah has constantly refuted such reports and asserted that he will remain the chief minister for all five years. His son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, has also said that only the top Congress leadership will take a decision regarding the top post in the state, but noted that there has been no hint about a leadership from the top brass.
"There is no battle or skirmish (in ruling Congress). Since there is no confusion amongst us, I feel the media is into perception creation. The Congress high command has not given any direction for leadership change. If there is anything like that then they will call and discuss," he told reporters on Friday.
Priyank Kharge, a Karnataka minister and son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, also said the Congress leadership will intervene at the 'right time' to resolve the crisis. "Nobody has given any official invitation or statement on the meeting in New Delhi. The CM and the Deputy CM have said that they will go to Delhi if they are invited by the Congress president or AICC general secretary and Karnataka in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala," he said.
