TN may approach Centre on Cauvery issue if needed: MK

 
Striking a sympathetic chord with his Karnataka counterpart  B S Yeddiyurappa, the DMK leader said: “We will keep asking what we need”, but added “What can he (Yeddiyurappa) also do if there are not sufficient rains in that state?”

Taking several questions on this issue at a press conference in Tiruchirappalli, the heart of the Cauvery delta on Wednesday where he had been to unveil the new district collector’s office, Karunanidhi was hopeful that Yeddiyurappa would be able to release some quantum of water if Karnataka had good rains in the next few days as the latter had mentioned during his recent visit to Tamil Nadu.

Referring to both the states having appealed in the Supreme Court (against the Cauvery River Water Tribunal’s Final Award), Karunanidhi said when the case is pending in the apex court “we still continue to hold talks on a humanitarian basis and also seek the monsoon’s blessings too.” On the project to inter-link major rivers in the country having taken a backseat, Karunanidhi said, Tamil Nadu’s plans to inter-link its own rivers were proceeding quite rapidly.

Affirming that the DMK-Congress relations were “strong” as before in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections early next year,  Karunanidhi said he would consult Congress leaders on taking in new allies into their alliance.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had on Monday indicated a Cabinet reshuffle before the monsoon session of Parliament, “has not spoken to me as yet,” Karunanidhi said to another query on whether some DMK ministers at the Centre could be changed.