'Will Go If He Invites': Siddaramaiah On DK Shivakumar's Proposed Meeting

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that he still has not received a call from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar inviting him for breakfast at his residence, adding that he will go whenever he is invited.

"If I am invited to breakfast by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, I am ready to go. He had said that day of the breakfast meeting (Nov 30) that he would invite me. He told me that I should come to his residence for breakfast on Tuesday. But until now, I have not received any call. If he invites us, I will go," Siddaramaiah told reporters here to questions on the topic.

"He (Shivakumar) may invite soon. I assume he will definitely invite me," Siddaramaiah said.

Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief and a key contender for the Chief Minister's post, had said last Saturday - after the breakfast meeting at the CM's residence - that he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are "together" and will follow the directions of the party high command. "Today, I am happy. The CM and I had a breakfast meeting. The CM will also visit my residence for dinner in the next two days," he had remarked.

Asked about inviting the Chief Minister for breakfast at his residence, Shivakumar now maintained that the matter concerns the duo only. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I are working together like brothers. We participated in the breakfast meeting only because of media pressure. You (the media) repeatedly claimed that there are camps and groups within the party," he had said.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "We will hold breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings as well. They will discuss all matters in these meetings. Shivakumar had stated that he was invited for breakfast by CM Siddaramaiah, and in that context, he had also said he would invite the CM in return."

"It cannot be said that it is a political breakfast. They will discuss politics as well as other matters. Why shouldn't they speak? They are politicians," he said.

Gundu Rao asserted that there are no differences in the party, and the final decision will be taken by the high command. "There will be no confusion at the party in the future. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are united and will move forward together. Discussions on leadership should not take place in the interest of the party and the government," he said.

"For two and a half years, the media has been portraying that there is confusion within the government. But until today, there has been no confusion in the party. The CM and Dy CM are working together. The crisis that the media expected in November within the Congress party did not happen either. This is not good for the party. We have clarified the confusion and are moving ahead," he added.

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