Rahul Gandhi holds discussions with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar separately at Mysuru airport

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who returned to Mysuru on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) evening to board a flight to New Delhi, reportedly held separate brief conversations with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the airport premises before his departure.

The separate interactions have assumed significance against the backdrop of continuing speculation over the leadership issue within the State Congress.

Earlier in the day, when Mr. Gandhi arrived at the Mysuru airport from New Delhi en route to Gudalur to attend a programme, he was received by Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar, who welcomed him. Later, speaking to presspersons, the Chief Minister said there were no discussions with Mr. Gandhi and that he and his Cabinet colleagues had come only to receive him. He also maintained that there would be no formal meeting with Mr. Gandhi in the evening when he returned from Gudalur.

However, photographs circulated by Mr. Shivakumar’s media team showed the Deputy Chief Minister in conversation with Mr. Gandhi at the airport, with no other leaders present. It is learnt that when both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were present to see off Mr. Gandhi, he reportedly spoke to each of them separately for a brief while before proceeding to New Delhi.

The interactions have drawn attention as the issue of leadership and power-sharing continues to be discussed publicly, with some Congress MLAs openly airing their views, even as Mr. Siddaramaiah has repeatedly stated that the matter rests with the party high command.