Talk to alliance partner DMK to resolve row: Tejasvi to Congress government

BENGALURU: Hitting out at the Siddaramaiah government over its handling of the Cauvery dispute, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday suggested to the Congress government in the state to use its “friendship” with its I.N.D.I.A. bloc partner DMK to resolve the water-sharing issue.

Surya, who is also BJP Yuva Morcha president, said that the 25 BJP MPs from Karnataka, and the Union Government, have always stood with Karnataka on the Cauvery row.

“Congress and DMK are in ‘I.N.D.I.A’ alliance and hence Congressmen have the opportunity to communicate easily with Tamil Nadu leaders. Use your political friendship to resolve the issue and get permission for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.

The names of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar will be registered in history forever for solving the Cauvery problem. The BJP is with you if you initiate talks with TN CM MK Stalin,” he told the Karnataka government. The MP, however, condemned the State Government for “failing to present the facts” before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) resulting in Karnataka farmers facing difficulties. The Congress government has been hiding its failure and passing the buck on others, Surya alleged.

Surya further alleged that there was lack of coordination between CM Siddaramaiah and DyCM Shivakumar in their handling of the Cauvery issue. “While the advocates argued that there would be drinking water scarcity, even in Bengaluru, the government welcomed the authority’s directive to release water to TN,” Surya added.

“Karnataka was told to release 3,000 cusecs of water daily to TN on the day of Karnataka bandh, which the entire state and all parties should have opposed unanimously. The CM and DyCM, however, gave a statement that the order was in favour of Karnataka. Later, they said that they will move the Supreme Court,” Surya said, adding that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had no clarity on the Cauvery issue.