CM to chair floor leaders' meet on Mahadayi today

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will chair a meeting of floor leaders in the legislature on the Mahadayi river water dispute, in the Vidhana Soudha on Sunday.

With the Mahadayi River Water Disputes Tribunal rejecting Karnataka’s plea for release of 7 tmcft of water, the state government is again looking at approaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mediation.

On Saturday, Water Resources Minister M B Patil and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra met senior counsel Fali S Nariman to discuss legal alternatives before Karnataka.

Karnataka can either appeal again before the Tribunal, or wait for the final order. Siddaramaiah had earlier stated that Karnataka would go for another appeal.

Floor leaders of the Legislative Assembly and Council, members of Parliament,
legislators from the districts of Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag, and legal
experts will participate in the meeting.

From the BJP, leaders including Jagadish Shettar, K S Eshwarappa and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa will attend the meeting.

From the JD(S), leaders including H D Kumaraswamy, Basavaraj Horatti and Navalgund MLA N H Konaraddi, will participate.

No change in BJP’s stand

BJP MP from Dharwad Pralhad Joshi said the party’s stand had not changed.
“There is no question of seeking the Prime Minister’s intervention, as the Tribunal has been constituted and the interim order has come out. Let the Congress convince the Opposition leaders in Goa and Maharashtra, we will impress upon the ruling parties in the two states.”

He also said the government had not properly briefed the advocates, as a result of which the order went against Karnataka’s favour.

‘PM’s intervention vital’

Konaraddi, who has been spearheading the farmers’ movement, said Modi’s intervention was imperative.

He also said the onus of impressing upon Modi and the Centre for mediation with Goa and Maharashtra rests entirely with the BJP MPs from the state. He also said JD(S) did not want the state to drop the legal battle and focus on convincing the Prime Minister.

“When Deve Gowda was the prime minister, he intervened and gave relief to Tamil Nadu. Modi should do the same,” he said.Konaraddi reiterated his demand that the government withdraw cases against farmers imprisoned following the protests recently.

As many as 149 farmers have been jailed in Ballari, 57 in Chitradurga and 15 in Dharwad.