Siddaramiah, DK Shivakumar echo message of unity, say will follow High Command directives on leadership

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 29 (ANI): After an hour long breakfast of Idli-Sambar and Upma on Saturday morning, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy DK Shivakumar reaffirmed cohesion and unity within the Congress party saying that both the leaders have decided to follow whatever will be the decision of the party high command and resolve any "confusion".
"We have decided that we will follow whatever the high command says. There will be no confusion from tomorrow. There is still no confusion. Some media reporters have created the confusion," CM Siddaramaiah said during a press conference.
CM Siddaramaiah had called his deputy for a breakfast meet earlier today at his Cauvery residence, with both of them holding a "productive meeting" to discuss the state's priorities, and the "road ahead."
Talking about the breakfast meeting, the Chief Minister said that they both "just had breakfast" after Congress' General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal asked Siddaramaiah to invite DK Shivakumar and A S Ponnanna.
According to CM, they discussed their agenda for the 2028 elections and the upcoming local body elections.
"Our agenda is the 2028 elections. Local body elections are important. We discussed them. We also discussed bringing back Congress in the 2028 elections. We discussed that we will go together. There are no differences between us and there will be no differences in the future," he said.
"We have discussed together that we will go together like we did in the 2023 election. We don't have any differences and there will be no differences even in future. We work together," the CM added.
While hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) for making "false allegations," Siddaramaiah added, "The BJP and JDS have a habit of making false allegations. The BJP and JDS have made statements that they will bring a no-confidence motion. They are only 60, and the JDS is 18. They cannot match our numbers. We are 140. This is a futile exercise. We will confront their false allegations."
Meanwhile, Deputy CM Shivakumar reaffirmed the CM's sentiment, saying that they are looking to fulfil the wishes of the people of the state.
"We have to fulfill their wishes. In that direction we are working. What the party high command decided we are working," Shivakumar said during the press conference.
Talking about the upcoming assembly session set to happen on December 8, Shivakumar said that they have planned for the session, and politically are in agreement . He dismissed any speculation of factionalism within the party.
"Politically we are of the same decision that what high command says we followed same and in the future also there is no groupism within our party. All MLAs and party needs to be made strong to bring back the government in 2028," he said.
While both leaders appeared amicable during their brief interaction, the ball is firmly in the Congress High Commands court now. The party leadership of President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are expected to meet the two leaders as well as other MLAs and take a decision on the leadership issue. (ANI)