Siddaramaiah will step down as CM if Congess high command says so

Published on: 02 Dec 2025 at 04:02 PM

Published by: Fact News

Fact News Service

Chandigarh, December 2: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met his deputy, DK Shivakumar, for a ‘power breakfast’ , a meeting that under most other circumstances might seem normal. This meeting, though, was not.

The two Congress leaders – squabbling over the chief minister’s post since the 2023 election – sat down to idli, a country-style chicken curry, and coffee (a splash of milk for the Chief Minister) and discussed their tug-of-war. But the outcome remains uncertain, particularly since Siddaramaiah pointed out the two spoke about the Karnataka Assembly session next week.

But – in perhaps the first clear admission that his time as Chief Minister may be drawing to an end – Siddaramaiah also indicated he is prepared to stand down, though only if told to by the Congress’ top leaders. “Both of us will accept the decision taken by the party, especially Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge.”

Meanwhile, soures said DKS made a genuine attempt to show respect to Siddaramaiah; his younger brother, DK Suresh, who last month spoke out against the Chief Minister, was seen bending down to touch his feet, a traditional show of respect.

Sources also said the two will now likely be summoned to Delhi, to meet those leaders on December 8. The plan, sources explained, is for the two to fly out from Belagavi – where the Karnataka Assembly is located – after the House is adjourned.

On paper they will be accompanied by Congress MPs from the state and it will be a trip to flag problems faced by Karnataka farmers and the management of the state’s water resources. But backchannel talks are also on the agenda.

Before that senior Congress leader KC Venugopal and they are expected to hold curtain-raiser talks in Mangaluru.

At the centre of this row is a deal that was allegedly struck after the Congress’ surprise 2023 election win – that Siddaramaiah and DKS would share the five-year term, i.e., each would be chief minister for 2.5 years.

A face-to-face with Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, it is understood, will be crucial in setting out a transition plan and break a deadlock that has rumbled on for nearly three years, threatening the stability of one of only three states the Congress controls on its own. The caveat, though, as it appears with most party matters, is that Rahul Gandhi will take the ‘final decision’.

That might not be the best news for DKS’ hopes of taking over as Chief Minister in the next six months because last week was told that Gandhi does not agree with a mid-term swap.

In any case, breakfast at DKS’ home today was the second meeting in three days as the Congress tries to broker peace – again – long enough to focus on the 2028 election. And the party released another obligatory ‘all is well’ photo to signify unity.