Stop blaming Centre, speak to Tamil Nadu over Cauvery issue: Pralhad Joshi slams Siddaramaiah government

Alleging that the Congress government in Karnataka is yielding to pressure from the DMK government in Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery water-sharing issue, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday claimed that Congress leaders are blaming the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi just to hide their failures.

"The Congress and DMK have a political alliance. Why have the chief ministers of both states not held talks, and why hasn't Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge not spoken with either of them? Everyone knows that the Centre has no authority to intervene and the issue has to be resolved cordially. Just like Siddaramaiah, the DMK only blames PM Modi and the BJP every single day. Will they agree to talks even if we invite them? Siddaramaiah is an expert in misguiding people, to hide his helplessness and errors," Joshi said.

"Despite the faults of the Congress government, BJP MPs are are cooperating to protect the interests of the state, and the Centre is also ready to do the same," Joshi added. "Stop blaming the Centre, and try to speak to Tamil Nadu," he said.

Responding to Karnataka's demand to relax drought declaration and NDRF norms, Joshi said the Modi government has already made changes to NDRF norms and added that further revision would take place after the Finance Commission makes its recommendations.

"Funds under the SDRF norms have already been provided while NDRF funds will also be released. The state government should start drought relief works by spending from its exchequer - as was done when B S Yediyurappa was the chief minister. The Congress is pointing fingers at the Centre due to their own financial mismanagement in the state. They don't release funds even to repair roads, and are speaking about drought," Joshi charged.

He also said that the JD(S) joining the NDA is a welcome move, but discussion about seat sharing for Lok Sabha polls have not yet taken place.

"There is no need to change the name of the NDA as there are no corruption charges against it, unlike the UPA," Joshi added.

Shettar reacts

Meanwhile former CM (from the BJP) and now Congress MLC Jagadish Shettar opined that the prime minister should hold talks with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments over the Cauvery issue to create a cordial atmosphere.

"Whether he has the authority or not, the prime minister's intervention is needed in such issues in a federal structure. An effort should be made to reach a cordial solution, and all should work together irrespective of party affiliation. There is no meaning in making political statements mentioning the alliance. When I was the Chief Minister, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made an effort by speaking to me and Jayalalitha," Shettar said.