BENGALURU: The deadlock over the row on sharing water of the river Mahadayi will continue with the crucial meeting of Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, scheduled for Friday, postponed at the eleventh hour.
The meeting was put off at the behest of Chief Minister of Goa, Laxmikant Parsekar. On Wednesday, Mr Parsekar wrote to his Maharashtra counterpart, Devendra Fadanavis, who took the initiative to host the meeting, to re-reschedule the talks on grounds that he was preoccupied with other appointments.
In fact, Mr Parsekar cold-shouldered Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by not taking his calls on five occasions ever since Mr Devendra Fadnavis scheduled the meeting for October 20.
Mr Siddaramaiah made one attempt on October 19, to seek Mr Parsekar’s support and cooperation, but in vain, according to official sources. Disappointed with lack of cooperation on the part of Mr Parsekar, Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly told leaders of the BJP ’s state unit about it during an all-party meeting on October 19.
He also expressed his decision to write another letter to Mr Parsekar on the need for an amicable solution to the dispute over sharing water of the river Mahadayi in the interest of both states.
Meanwhile, political circles are agog with speculation that Mr Parsekar chose to skip the meeting, keeping in mind next year’s polls to the Legislative Assembly. In case he agreed to share water with Karnataka to quench the thirst of people of north Karnataka, such a move would send a wrong message in Goa, with Opposition Congress likely to turn it into a poll issue. Anticipating such attempts of Congress, Mr Parsekar sought postponement of the meeting at the eleventh hour, sources added.
Can’t attend meet: Parsekar
Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar has told his Maharashtra counterpart that he would not be able to attend the meeting on the Mahadayi river diversion row on Friday in Mumbai.
The CMs of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka were supposed to meet in Mumbai to try and find an amicable solution to the dispute among the three states on diversion of Mahadayi river water.
“The CM of Goa has written to Maharashtra counterpart (Devendra Fadanavis) seeking to re-reschedule the meeting due to pre-scheduled appointments," an official from Goa told PTI on Thursday.
The formal communication sent on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to give option of dates for the Goa CM to decide on his participation in the meeting.
Maharashtra government had earlier agreed to host the tri-partite meeting in Mumbai. Mahadayi Water Tribunal, which is hearing the dispute, had earlier suggested that the governments explore the possibility of an amicable solution to the vexed issue.
The Goa government had called an all-party meeting on October 12 following which Parsekar had decided to participate in the meeting with CMs of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
