DK Shivakumar And Siddaramaiah Meet For Power Breakfast - And A Transition

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar sat down for a quick, power breakfast with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah this morning.

The agenda?

Work out a transition of power from Siddaramaiah to Shivakumar as soon as possible, by March-April 2026, or as some speculation with humour thrown in has it, by lunch.

"I had breakfast with DK Shivakumar," the chief minister posted on X.

ಉಪಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಡಿ.ಕೆ.ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್ ಅವರ ಜೊತೆ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗಿನ ಉಪಹಾರ ಸೇವಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಕೆಲಹೊತ್ತು ಮಾತುಕತೆ ನಡೆಸಿದೆ. @DKShivakumar pic.twitter.com/7ak3xFjatL

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 29, 2025

Shivakumar wrote a more indicative post, "Met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Cauvery Residence this morning for a breakfast meeting. A productive discussion on Karnataka's priorities and the road ahead."

ಮಾನ್ಯ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಅವರನ್ನು ಇಂದು ಅವರ ಕಾವೇರಿ ನಿವಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಭೇಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಉಪಾಹಾರ ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಸಲಾಯಿತು.

Met Hon'ble CM Shri @siddaramaiah avaru at Cauvery Residence this morning for a breakfast meeting. A productive discussion on Karnataka's priorities and the road ahead. pic.twitter.com/qhe7q5RNvi

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) November 29, 2025

A photo of the two leaders enjoying a serving of upma, idli and kesari bath - the cornerstone of breakfast in Karnataka - quickly came out from the meeting to broadcast a subliminal message that all is well between the two leaders.

All signs indicate there is going to be a clear transition to power in Shivakumar's favour, sources said. The two leaders in the breakfast meeting are likely to work out the details of what is now being referred to as the Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah compromise formula, sources said.

Till the time the transition happens, Shivakumar will remain a deputy to Siddaramaiah, sources said. The Congress does not want a public spectacle in its Karnataka unit - one of the few states where the party is in power, sources said, adding that unseating a longtime Congress leader like Siddaramaiah abruptly would hurt the party.

Sources said Shivakumar is likely to agree to the transition 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.

Shivakumar is expected to fly to Delhi to meet the party's central leaders this evening. Siddaramaiah won't go for sure, sources said, as he is already in a comfortable position.

The transition will be tested on many fronts - from how much trust Shivakumar can afford to place on the chief minister to acceptance of the arrangements by their support base.

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.