Mekedatu: Tejasvi tells CM Siddaramaiah, Dy CM DK Shivakumar to convince DMK

Bangalore South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar to convince Congress’ alliance partner DMK to agree to the Mekedatu project.

Surya also charged that the lack of coordination between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar is affecting the state’s position in the Cauvery dispute. 

“Congress and DMK are in an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls. You are partners. If there’s anybody who can easily talk to the Tamil Nadu CM, it is Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. I request them to use their political friendship for the state’s benefit and convince Stalin on the Mekedatu project which is pending for 20 years. Let Tamil Nadu be made to file an affidavit saying it has no objection to the project,” Surya told a news conference. 

Surya said that the Congress has the basic responsibility of representing facts - in the best manner possible - before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) but it has failed miserably in highlighting a real scenario of the state. 

“The state has suffered a 60% deficit in rainfall this year and needs about 106 tmcft of water, but has only 50 tmcft. Out of the 34 taluks in the Cauvery basin, 32 are declared as drought-hit. Farmers don’t have water to support their one standing crop. In this scenario, releasing additional water to Tamil Nadu will severely compromise the state’s drinking water needs. This very grim reality could have been presented before the Cauvery Water Management Authority, but the state did not do so, therefore, people in the Cauvery basin are put to severe hardship,” Surya explained.

Maintaining that all 25 BJP MPs stand united with the state whenever the government fights to protect the interests of its land, water and language, Surya said that during the 24th and 25th meetings of the CWMA, the Centre’s representative provided “real facts” on water levels in Cauvery reservoirs.

“This was done after all BJP MPs met Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat under the leadership of union minister Pralhad Joshi with the intervention of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa. And still, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lies blatantly about lack of support from the Centre and is politicising the issue,” he said.