- Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar met for a power-sharing discussion over breakfast in Karnataka
- Shivakumar reminded Siddaramaiah of a May 2023 agreement to share the chief minister post
- Siddaramaiah denied recalling any such deal but assured support for Shivakumar in the 2028 polls
Hectic tactical moves, assurances and trust on keeping one's word worked as the foundation behind the smiles on camera and the happy-looking power breakfast of Karnataka's two most powerful leaders on Saturday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar did discuss a critical matter over upma, idli and kesari bath - the cornerstone of breakfast in Karnataka - though they put up a united face during their interaction with reporters after the morning meal, sources said.
Shivakumar reminded the chief minister about an agreement they made in May 2023 when both agreed to be chief minister for two-and-a-half years each during the five-year term, sources said.
In his reply to Shivakumar, which was rather direct, Siddaramaiah explained he doesn't recall having any such "power-sharing" conversation, sources said, adding that on the contrary Siddaramaiah expressed confidence he would be able to lead the Congress government in the southern state for the full five-year term.
Sources said that nonetheless, the chief minister in a likely attempt to not disappoint his deputy so much offered a pressure-release valve to defuse tension - Shivakumar would be declared the face of the 2028 assembly election with full support of Siddaramaiah.
As the breakfast progressed, Shivakumar insisted Siddaramaiah should keep his "promise" and never once did he accept the chief minister's claim about not being able to recall any power-sharing agreement, sources said.
By the time the two finished eating and a photo announcing bygones are indeed bygones reached the media, the two leaders had agreed on one thing - they will keep peace and go with whatever decision Congress MP Rahul Gandhi decides.
The Congress high command in Delhi is unlikely to make any hasty decision without taking Siddaramaiah into confidence. The winter session of parliament will begin tomorrow and the Karnataka assembly session will start on December 8. The Congress leadership is expected to announce a decision on the Karnataka pickle only after both these sessions are over, that is after December 20.
Sources said Shivakumar is likely to agree to a transition of power at some point in the near future backed by Siddaramaiah due to many compelling reasons - his loyalists get more cabinet berths in reshuffle, he remains state Congress chief, he doesn't have the numbers for a hostile move against the chief minister, and for the simple reason that it appears to be the best deal Shivakumar could get under any circumstances.
Siddaramaiah isn't easy from the party's point of view, given the caste calculus. He's seen as the most powerful face of the 'AHINDA' political alignment, a formation that comprises major caste and religious blocs, aimed at challenging the domination of the Lingayat sect and the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Vokkaligas. Shivakumar is the face of the OBC Vokkaliga community, and the Congress cannot alienate this group.
