The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee is confident of the Congress headed United Progreesive Alliance government at the centre doing justice to Karnataka in resolving the  interstate dispute between Karnataka and Goa with regard to Kalasa-Bandurinala project by making use of the Mahadayi river water. Prime minister Manmohan Singh is said to have assured the Congress delegation from the state to do everything possible to protect the interests of Karnataka.

Disclosing this to media persons here on Sunday, opposition leader in the assembly Dharam Singh said there was a very positive and encouraging response both from the AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Ministrer Manmohan Singh on the matter when a Congress delegation from the state headed by KPCC Prsident Mallikarjun Kharge called on the two leaders in Delhi recently to appraise them of the state’s stand on the Mahadayi issue. 

Singh said the prime minister has asked the minister in the PMO Prtihviraj Chauhan to look in to the problem of Karnataka.

Sonia told
The KPCC delegation brought to the notice of Sonia Gandhi about the campaign launched by Bharatiya Janata Party in the state against Sonia’s remarks on Mahadayi favouring Goa during  run up to the elections to the Goa assembly.

Asked why  either AICC or Sonia Gandhi has not yet denied or given clarification on the controversy arising out of Sonia’s statement Dharam Singh remarked “`Sonia Gandhi cannot react to the utterances of Yediyurappas and Eashwarappas. Who are they? In fact it was during BJP rule at Centre and in Goa grave injustie has been done to Karnatraka.’’

Legitimate claim
The opposition leader made it clear that constitution of tribunal for resolveing the inter state water dispute was a different matter but the state was claiming its legitimate share of 7.5 tmc ft of water of Mahadayi for drinking water purpose of some of the north Karnataka towns. Stating that the Kalasa-Bandurinala was first evolved by the Gundu Rao government and all party delegations were taken to the centre when S M Krishna and himself were chief minister.

"In the last 16 months the Kumaraswamy government has done nothing to pursuade the centre to safeguard the inteests of Karnataka’" Singh said taking deputy chief minister Yediyurappa to task for politicising the Mahadayi issue.

He wanted all political parties to come together  for fighting the cause of he state. "We are confident of centre coming to the aid of Karnataka in Mahadayi issue" a confident Singh said.