Bengaluru, Dec 2 (IANS) After the breakfast meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, Deputy CM and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said they discussed visiting Delhi together.

The meeting at Shivkumar’s residence in Bengaluru comes amid the leadership row in the party and follows the first breakfast meeting at the CM’s house.

“We had a joyful breakfast and discussed visiting Delhi together. We also discussed party and government matters,” Shivakumar said while addressing a joint press conference with CM Siddaramaiah.

Shivakumar said, “We discussed the all-party meeting. We have almost finalised that we should go to Delhi on December 8 and return the same day, because we need to assign responsibilities to our MPs.”

“The Cauvery judgment has come, farmers are facing a maize crop crisis, and funds for our state are pending from the RDPR, Urban Development, and Irrigation departments. MPs from Karnataka need to be given this responsibility. We are also considering taking the leaders of the opposition to Delhi. We will take this forward.”

When asked whether they would meet Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, Shivakumar said, “They will have to invite us first.”

“No MLAs have differences of opinion. Only the media is creating discord,” he said. CM Siddaramaiah intervened, saying, “All our MLAs are united, and we will face the opposition unitedly.”

When asked whether this unity would be there only until the end of the Assembly session, Shivakumar replied that it would always remain.

CM Siddaramaiah also responded, “This unity will always be there. Shivakumar and I are united, and we run the government together. We will continue to run the government unitedly. The high command will take a decision on the cabinet reshuffle.”

Speaking about the breakfast, Shivakumar said, “I had invited CM Siddaramaiah first. In turn, he asked me to come to his residence, and that meeting was held at his house. I then invited him to my residence. He came here and had a joyful breakfast. It was prepared just the way food is made in his native Mysuru. It tasted exactly like Mysuru cuisine.”

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervened to point out that Shivakumar’s wife is from Mysuru.

Shivakumar further said, “It was a good breakfast. We also discussed political matters. We need to make announcements regarding four MLC posts. We had spoken with the party’s National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala. There was contention over one seat, and he had said that further discussion was needed. In parallel, we held discussions and have sent our list. This matter was also discussed. Later, we discussed issues related to the party and the government. We discussed the Assembly session, planning, and our strategy for MLAs to face the opposition. We will address any issue raised by the opposition,” he said.

“We are one voice. We have the same ideology and thoughts, and we are ready to face anything brought up by the opposition. All our MLAs have a good opportunity to participate,” he added.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah relished idli and ‘natikoli saaru’ (a chicken gravy dish) during a breakfast meeting at the residence of Dy CM and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar.

Shivakumar’s brother and former MP D.K. Suresh, along with Congress MLA and Shivakumar’s staunch supporter H.D. Ranganath, also joined the breakfast.

Taking to X, Dy CM Shivakumar said, “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.”

The breakfast meeting was organised at Shivakumar’s private residence in Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru.

CM Siddaramaiah was accorded a warm welcome by Shivakumar and Suresh. Suresh and MLA Ranganath touched the Chief Minister’s feet. Suresh presented him with a bouquet and honoured him with a shawl, while Shivakumar warmly greeted him and escorted him inside.

CM Siddaramaiah invited Suresh and Ranganath to join the breakfast as well. While Siddaramaiah served idlis and his favourite ‘natikoli saaru’, Shivakumar, who is on a vow, avoided non-vegetarian food and ate idlis with vegetable sambar.

The meeting has assumed significance amid the leadership row. Dy CM Shivakumar is a strong contender for the post of CM. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have stated that they will abide by the decision of the high command over the leadership issue.

The meeting is crucial as the party plans to send out a strong message of unity ahead of the Assembly’s winter session, scheduled to be held from December 8 in Belagavi.

–IANS

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