Cauvery row: AIADMK MP sends resignation letter to RS chairman

AIADMK MP S Muthukarappan on Monday sent his resignation to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu protesting against the delay in setting up of Cauvery Management Board.  

However, the two-page letter is likely to be rejected as it is not in the one-line format prescribed format for resignation from the Rajya Sabha.

Muthukarappan had last week announced that he would quit the Upper House following the Centre's reluctance in setting up the Cauvery Management Board as ordered by the Supreme Court.

"The Centre has been delaying implementation of the Supreme Court order that came after marathon legal battles initiated by late Amma Jayalalithaa. The Tamil Nadu chief minister and the deputy chief minister have been exerting pressure on the Centre on this issue. MPs of the party have been protesting for the past fortnight on this. The party is evolving strategy on the issue by consulting top leaders," he said.

"Despite the pressure exerted, the Union Government has delayed the CMB formation and hence I resign my position," Muthukaruppan said in the resignation letter that was released to the media.

He has two years left in his tenure.

Last week, the AIADMK's Rajya Sabha leader A Navaneethakrishnan created a flutter when he said all party MPs would commit suicide if the Cauvery Board is not constituted.

Following criticism that the party's protests in Lok Sabha has allowed the ruling BJP to evade no-trust motions moved by Opposition parties, the AIADMK has said that it will move such a motion if the DMK and the Congress support their demand.