‘We abide by the High Command’: Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar end rift ahead of Dec 8 assembly session

After weeks of simmering tension over the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar appear to have reached a temporary truce, sending a clear signal of unity ahead of the winter session of the State legislature in Belagavi beginning December 8, 2025. 

The two leaders met over breakfast on Saturday at the Chief Minister’s official residence, Cauvery, in Bengaluru. Later, in a rare show of joint resolve, they addressed the media together — reiterating that they would abide by whatever decision the Congress high command eventually takes on the question of leadership. 

‘We abide by the High Command’ 

In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Shivakumar struck a conciliatory tone, emphasising unity and commitment to governance. 

“We abide by the High Command,” he wrote, adding that Siddaramaiah would soon visit his residence for lunch or dinner as part of ongoing efforts to maintain coordination. He highlighted the “massive mandate” received from the people of Karnataka and reaffirmed that the government remains focused on fulfilling its promises. 

“We discussed the strategy for 2028 and the upcoming Assembly session from December 8th. We are fully prepared to tackle and answer the opposition,” he said. On the leadership issue, he reiterated: “We will go by the decision of the party high command… We are confident that Karnataka will play a major role, we will repeat government in 2028, and move forward in 2029 as well under the leadership of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi.” 

Siddaramaiah blames media 

Siddaramaiah echoed Shivakumar’s statements, underlining that there were no rifts within the leadership. 

“We are united. There are no differences between me and Mr. Shivakumar. We have decided to listen to whatever the high command says,” he said. “There is no controversy from tomorrow… There is none now either. But a section of the media has created the confusion.” 

The Chief Minister’s remarks sought to dispel persistent speculation that the Congress’s power-sharing arrangement — which many believed included a mid-term rotation of the CM post — had triggered internal strains. 

High command intervention 

Sources indicated that Saturday’s meeting was held on the direction of the Congress high command, which has been closely monitoring the political friction in Karnataka. MLA and Chief Minister’s legal adviser AS Ponnanna was also present at the breakfast meeting. 

The display of unity comes at a crucial moment as the government prepares for a challenging legislature session in Belagavi, where the Opposition is expected to confront the ruling party on multiple fronts. 

While the joint appearance has temporarily calmed speculation, questions linger over whether the leadership tussle has truly been resolved or merely postponed until after the winter session.