Rajinikanth will change his stand on Cauvery if he visits K'taka: H D Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: After Rajinikanth asked the new government in Karnataka to share Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling, JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday invited the actor-turned-politician to come to the state and see the situation himself.

Karnataka chief minister designate said that he believes that after seeing the situation, Rajinikanth would change his stand.

"If there is water in Karnataka it is possible for us to give them water. I request Rajinikanth, please come and see the situation in our dams, what has happened to our farmers. After seeing that, if you (Rajinikanth) still want water, let's discuss," Kumaraswamy said.

"... on seeing the situation here, I think he (Rajinikanth) will change his stand," the JD(S) leader told reporters in Bengaluru.

Settling the decades-old water sharing dispute earlier this year, the Supreme Court asked Karnataka to release 177.25 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu as opposed to the earlier 192 tmcft.

Tamil Nadu has witnessed huge protests across state over the delay by the centre in setting up of Cauvery water management board to oversee the matter.

On Friday, the Supreme Court said that a 10-member body called the Cauvery Management Authority will oversee and regulate water sharing but Karnataka will continue to have control over dams in the state.

(With PTI inputs)