CHENNAI: DMK president M.K. Stalin on Saturday demanded that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay immediately convene an all-party meeting to forge a united front on the Mekedatu dam issue, calling the Cauvery river the state's vital lifeline.
Launching a sharp attack on the chief minister, Stalin accused Vijay of attempting a "solo political feat" that ended in isolation and rejection. He also criticised him for ignoring warnings from Tamil Nadu's political parties and farmers' associations against holding direct talks with Karnataka.
"By attempting a solo act, the chief minister now stands isolated," he alleged in a post on X.
"We urged the chief minister of Tamil Nadu not to visit Karnataka," he said, adding, "Past experience has taught us that a legal battle is the only way forward against a state that has unequivocally declared it will not release water to Tamil Nadu."
"They (Karnataka) view Tamil Nadu merely as a drainage basin for surplus water," the former chief minister charged.
Stating that perhaps the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu thought he could bring back the Cauvery water with him if he personally visited Karnataka, Stalin said, "However, as soon as the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered the release of water to Tamil Nadu, they (Karnataka) shut the gates on him, saying, 'Do not come for now.'"
"It was precisely anticipating such a situation that everyone in Tamil Nadu cautioned him beforehand."
"At least from now on, the chief minister must approach the Cauvery issue, a vital lifeline for Tamil Nadu, through collective consultation."
Stalin claimed that by calling an all-party meeting in Karnataka on August 2, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had demonstrated the state's unity through action.
"When will the Tamil Nadu chief minister convene an all-party meeting? Can he do it, or can't he?" he asked.
(With inputs from PTI)
