CHENNAI: Heralding healthy political trend in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami is likely to receive Opposition Leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday in his chamber in the Secretariat for the second time in two months to evolve a consensus on the state’s stand on the sensitive Cauvery river water issue.
The meeting was scheduled after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that he would hold consultations with leaders of all political parties in the state on March 7 to press the Union Government not to rush with the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board.
Sources in the DMK said the party working president Stalin telephoned Palaniswami on Friday morning seeking to know the government’s plan of action on Cauvery issue, especially in the wake of all-party meeting convened by Karnataka Government.
“The Chief Minister, while acknowledging Stalin’s concerns, wanted to know whether Stalin could meet him personally to discuss the sensitive issue. Since the issue concerned the interests of the state, Stalin readily agreed for the meeting. The meeting is likely to take place on Saturday morning,” a source said.
However, there was no official word from either side on the meeting. Stalin, during the telephone call, sought to know the status of the all-party meeting’s resolution to personally call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demand immediate constitution of Cauvery Management Board.
The all-party meeting convened by Palaniswami last week resolved to exert pressure on the Centre on constitution of CMB. Though the CM’s office has formally sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to take a delegation of leader, the Prime Minister’s Office is yet to respond to the request.
Sources said the CM, during his Saturday meeting with Stalin, would try to evolve a consensus on the state’s stand. The DMK had already announced that it would support the state government’s decision in the interests of the state. The AIADMK Government, according to sources, is mulling exerting more pressure on the Centre since two weeks have already passed after the Supreme Court’s order.
Fisheries minister D. Jayakumar said the government was taking all possible measures to ensure that all parties concerned follow the Supreme Court’s verdict. “We have already sought an appointment with the Prime Minister for taking an all party delegation,” Jayakumar said.
