Karnataka: BJP blocks road in Mandya in protest against release of Cauvery water to TN

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Cauvery water from KRS reservoir to Tamil Nadu to «help the DMK regime perform well in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.» The DMK and Congress are part of the anti-NDA political grouping INDIA. The BJP accused the State's Congress regime of first releasing the water for political gains and was now enacting a drama of convening an all-party meet on Cauvery.

The BJP discussed the subject at its core committee meeting in Bengaluru on Monday, and senior leader BS Yediyurappa asked the party leaders to run an effective campaign on the subject highlighting the Congress party's failures. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has said the party would cooperate with the government on steps taken to protect the interests of the state and the farmers in the river water issue.

Slamming the ruling Congress for «failing to function under the existing system,» Bommai said, «On the one hand they keep releasing water and on the other, they go on arguing before courts.» Earlier this week, deputy CM Shivakumar had sought TN’s cooperation over the Mekedatu project, while assuring the state that Karnataka had already promised to release 10 tmcft of water from the river — a move which drew the ire of both the BJP and the JDS. The DMK regime in Tamil Nadu is an ally of the Congress party and is part of the united opposition alliance INDIA for the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

The Opposition parties accused the Congress of bowing to TN for political gains. The Tamil Nadu government, however, was not appeased, and has approached the Supreme Court demanding the 36.76 tmcft water stipulated for September 2023 to TN as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT)’s final award of February 2007.