Karnataka BJP demands all-party meet, offers support

Bengaluru: Urging CM Siddaramaiah to immediately convene an all- party meeting on the Mahadayi water dispute,  BJP leaders, Basavaraj Bommai and C T Ravi on Thursday offered all cooperation from the party in resolving the issue provided the state government persuaded the Congress party, in opposition in Goa and Maharashtra, to fall in line as well.

Claiming that it was the Congress party in Goa, which was instrumental in getting its government to pass a resolution in the Assembly to let the tribunal resolve the Mahadayi dispute , they recalled that the then CM  Manohar Parikkar was ready to hold bilateral negotiations with Karnataka on the issue.

“But the opposition Congress protested in the House and forced the government to pass the resolution. Now, for any bilateral talks to take place, the resolution has to be withdrawn. Also, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, had in an election campaign in 2010,  declared the party would not allow diversion  of water from the Mahadayi to  Karnataka. How can BJP be held responsible for that?” they demanded, speaking to reporters here.

Asked if the BJP would be part of a state delegation to the PM on the dispute when the party was in power in Goa, the two leaders said, “We will do our part and the Congress has to do its bit.”

Suggesting the state government  approach the SC on the dispute, they claimed there were enough grounds to do so as the tribunal had ignored two reports on water availability in the Mahadayi river and appointed another water assessment committee, which had not visited the spot for the last three years.