Rahul tells Siddaramiah, Shivakumar to work together

Amid a reported rift in the Congress's Karnataka unit, party leader Rahul Gandhi asked its state President DK Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddramiah to iron out their differences and work together for the party, sources said.

The meeting with the two state leaders was attended by party General Secretary KC Venugopal and party spokesman Randeep Surjewala.

Ahead of the meeting, Siddaramaiah denied any rift and said both he and Shivakumar are working together to build the party. "I have been asked to meet Rahul Gandhi," he said.

The two leaders are said to be at loggerheads over various issues and the rift has widened when Shivakumar snubbed Siddaramaiah supporters when they projected him as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.

The latest issue between them is illegal mining, with both differing on the issue raised by Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh. Siddaramaiah stressed that an investigation should be done, while Shivakumar maintained that there are no reports of illegal mining in the region.