The meetings were about trying to resolve a power tussle for Karnataka's chief minister post, but the two breakfasts between Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, in the space of four days have also attracted attention for their menus.
The two leaders, also, in fact, spoke about the menu when they were asked about it, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also shared an interesting tidbit about where the chicken was procured from.
Sources told news agency PTI that 'nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry), considered one of Siddaramaiah's favourites, was on the menu at the breakfast at Shivakumar's house on Tuesday, along with 'nati koli' fry, idlis, vada and pongal (a rice and lentil dish).
Asked about the difference between the breakfast at his house on Saturday and the meal at the deputy chief minister's residence, Siddaramaiah said, "At his house, it was non-vegetarian, while at my house, it was vegetarian. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK (Shivakumar) to get chicken from the village as you won't get the original in Bengaluru."
Shivakumar said he had initially invited the chief minister to his residence, but Siddaramaiah had suggested meeting at his house first. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the chief minister's house on Saturday," he said.
"Today, I invited him to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," the deputy chief minister added.
Siddaramaiah, who was born in a village in Mysuru district, then pointed out that Shivakumar's wife is also from Mysuru.
On the menu for Saturday's breakfast at Siddaramaiah's house was idli, upma and kesari baat (a breakfast desert made of semolina), among others.
While the outcome of the two breakfast meetings is unclear, sources told NDTV that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar will fly to Delhi to meet the Congress brass, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, on December 8. This will be preceded by a meeting with senior Congress leader KC Venugopal.
Siddaramaiah reiterated that he will abide by what the party high command decides. "Both of us will accept the decision taken by the party, especially Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge," the chief minister said.
(With inputs from PTI)
