Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar held their second breakfast meeting in four days, signalling unity within the Karnataka Congress ahead of the winter session amid leadership speculation.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday. | Pic courtesy: IANS
Bengaluru’s now-famous “breakfast politics” staged another chapter on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visiting Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar at his Sadashivanagar residence. The breakfast meeting, the second in 4 days, came amid continuing unease within the ruling Congress over leadership dynamics and the quiet but persistent speculation about whether the top job may change hands.
Shivakumar and his brother, former MP DK Suresh, welcomed the Chief Minister with a bouquet and shawl, as police barricaded surrounding lanes in anticipation of the high-profile visit.
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Hosted the Hon’ble CM for breakfast at my residence today as we reaffirm our commitment to good governance and the continued development of our state under the Congress vision. pic.x.com/qmBxr50S64
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— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 2, 2025
Also Read: Unity for the cameras, uncertainty behind the scenes: The story of Karnataka’s leadership churn
Siddaramaiah drove in from his official residence, ‘Cauvery’, for what has now become the latest instalment of the party’s informal exercises to calm nerves and signal stability. While both leaders insist they are working “as brothers”, their closed-door meetings continue to draw attention because Shivakumar remains a strong aspirant for the Chief Minister’s post.
The optics, however, were kept cordial. Shivakumar is currently on a vow and avoided non-vegetarian food, while Siddaramaiah relished idlis and his favourite naati koli saaru. MLA HD Ranganath and Suresh also joined the breakfast.
Honoured to welcome the Hon’ble Chief Minister to my residence today. We stand committed to the development of Karnataka and the progress of our people. pic.x.com/TpfVSNwhnN
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 2, 2025
According to news agency IANS, the two leaders spent more than 45 minutes together after exchanging pleasantries, with Suresh and Ranganath touching the Chief Minister’s feet before the discussions began.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Siddaramaiah said, “All our MLAs are united. Together, we will face the opposition. DK Shivakumar and I are united.”
“We will continue to govern together in the future.”
Responding to repeated questions about a possible change of guard, he reiterated, “The high command has to make the decision.”
Siddaramaiah said the two leaders discussed preparations for the winter session beginning December 8 in Belagavi, as well as a meeting of Karnataka MPs in Delhi. “It was decided that we should call a meeting of the MPs on December 8. In the meeting, we will discuss issues of farmers,” he said.
The CM added that while Shivakumar had invited him for breakfast, the meeting itself did not include political negotiations. “We didn’t discuss anything during breakfast,” he said.
Within the party, the breakfast diplomacy is now widely seen as a high-command-nudged exercise to prevent factional flare-ups as the session approaches. Congress insiders say the leadership in Delhi prefers visible bonhomie between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to counter the narrative of a leadership churn.
Deputy CM Shivakumar also posted on X after the meeting, writing, “Hosted the Hon’ble CM for breakfast at my residence today as we reaffirm our commitment to good governance and the continued development of our state under the Congress vision.”
Home Minister G Parameshwara, meanwhile, said he had not been invited. “If he had called me, I would have joined them,” he remarked, while expressing hope for a “peaceful settlement” of the internal developments of the past month.
He added that the meetings reflected a reciprocal gesture: “CM Siddaramaiah invited Shivakumar earlier, and now Shivakumar has invited Siddaramaiah. It is a positive development.” Parameshwara said he too would invite them for breakfast.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have repeatedly said they will abide by the high command’s decision on leadership. With the Assembly session around the corner and the Opposition sharpening its attack, the Congress appears keen to project cohesion, even if it comes plated with idlis, sambar, and a serving of naati koli saaru.
Separately, Shivakumar shared a Hanuman Jayanti message on X, offering salutations to Lord Anjaneya and praying that “the remover of hardships” blesses everyone.
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