Bengaluru, Feb. 11 -- Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday skipped a key pre-budget meeting of his departments and left for New Delhi to attend an All India Congress Committee (AICC) election meeting.

Speaking to reporters before departing, he said that officials from his departments would attend the consultation chaired by chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio. " have held budget meetings with officials from the departments, and they will be present (at the meeting with CM). I will come back and discuss with him," he said, noting he had sought the chief minister's permission to skip the meeting.

He also asserted that there was "no confusion" over Karnataka's leadership, adding that he an...