Nagapttinam: Although the Cauvery water dispute remains the major issue for the delta farmers, it is unlikely to decide the poll outcome since the farmers do not support any single party on the issue and their votes are divided on party lines.
The farmers were elated when the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal order was issued in the government gazette. But, the order did not come into practice since the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Monitoring Committee, the bodies to implement the order was not formed by the Centre. The stiff opposition of Karnataka to the formation of the two bodies is keeping the tribunal order confined to paper.
According to leaders of farmers unions, farmers will continue to vote on party lines as they believe that the party of their choice would fight to implement the tribunal order. However, there is widespread resentment against the BJP government at the Centre, which is seen as supporting Karnataka and denying justice for Tamil Nadu.
Madhanapuram V. Rajaram, president of the Cauvery Irrigation Farmers Welfare Protection Movement, which filed the petition in the Supreme Court in early 1970s and finally got a favourable verdict to form the tribunal said “There is widespread resentment among farmers on the issue, but they do not believe that this or that party alone can solve the problem. So, the issue will not go against any party or in favour of any party. We started our struggle four decades ago and all the leaders of our organisation have crossed 80 years of age. We hope that the issue will be settled in our life time”.
There are 35 consitutencies in the delta, eight in Thanjavur district, four in Karur, nine in Tiruchy, four in Perambalur, four in Tiruvarur and six in Nagapattinam which are dependent on Cauvery water for irrigation. The AIADMK swept the 2014 Parliament elections immediately after gazetting of the tribunal order. But, the euphoria among the farmers is not seen now as the order had not come to practice.
P.R. Pandian, president of the Federation of Farmers Welfare Associations, said “We are not angry with any of the parties in Tamil Nadu as they are doing their best on the Cauvery issue. But, our anger is directed against the BJP, which is ruling the Centre. The Union government is not trying to form the Cauvery Management Board as it is supporting the Karnataka government”. A section of farmers are supporting the views of Tamil nationalist leader P. Maniarasan, that voting itself would be a waste of time as the State Assembly is powerless to do anything on the issue.
