New Delhi: The BJP Government was favouring Karnataka on the Mekedatu issue only to win seats in that state in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai alleged here on Wednesday.
The Centre was discriminating against Tamil Nadu and ignoring the state’s fair demand that Mekedatu dam should not be allowed across Cauvery, he told reporters. The MPs from Tamil Nadu were conducting protests in peaceful and democratic manner but the Centre ignored it, he charged.
He said having lost the Assembly election in Karnataka, the BJP now wanted to ensure victory in as many seats as possible in the coming Lok Sabha election in that state.
Sources said Thambidurai leads the AIADMK group that is stoutly opposed to having alliance with the BJP for the LS polls, while most of the TN Ministers and party functionaries feel the party should go ahead forging the poll pact with the saffron party in order to protect the interests of the AIADMK government in the state.
While most of his Parliament colleagues waged a bitter war against the Centre within the Parliament, and outside, on the Mekedatu issue, the AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Dr V. Maitreyan called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present a copy of his book on Sri Aandal Natchiyar’s Thiruppavai on Wednesday. He also posted on his twitter handle the happy photograph and the copy of the note he had left in the book presented to PM Modi.
“To My Beloved Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji with Love, Affection and Regards”, said the signed note from the AIADMK senior, demonstrating his close ties with the BJP leadership.
