As the power tussle sent ripples across Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that he would do "whatever high command (Congress leaders) says" and has invited his deputy DK Shivakumar for a meeting over breakfast on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "The party high command had called me and him (DK Shivkumar) 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," he added, PTI reported.
This comes after the senior leadership of the party stepped in, as the rift widened in Karnataka, asking both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar to meet over breakfast in a bid to resolve the crisis.
Earlier, there were reports that DK Shivakumar will head to the national capital for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi and the high command will take a decision over the CM post before December 1, when the Parliament Winter Session is slated to begin.
Karnataka power tussle
The chief minister’s post in Karnataka emerged as a bone of contention between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar after the Congress registered a landslide victory in the 2023 Assembly polls. However, the party eventually picked Siddaramaiah as the chief minister. There were reports at the time that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had agreed to a power-sharing arrangement with 2.5 years in office for both of them, though the Congress has never officially announced the deal.
As Siddaramaiah completed 2.5 years in office, the chatter over a change in guard rose. Supporters of both factions continue to demand the top post for their respective leaders, while the Congress high command remains tight-lipped on the issue.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
