Bengaluru, July 30 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar on Thursday announced that an all-party meeting will be held on August 2 at his official residence, Krishna, to discuss the Cauvery water dispute and chart the state’s future course of action.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Shivakumar said invitations had been extended to all former Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament from the Cauvery catchment region, leaders of all political parties, and floor leaders to participate in the meeting.
“We will discuss the future course of action in the all-party meeting. Today, Karnataka is presenting its case before the authorities, and senior officers are making submissions on behalf of the state. I have been monitoring the developments closely,” he said.
The Chief Minister said leaders across party lines, including Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and V. Somanna, former Chief Ministers, and BJP MPs Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, had extended their support in safeguarding Karnataka’s interests.
“I must acknowledge that all our MPs and Union Ministers are extending cooperation beyond political considerations to protect the interests of the state,” Shivakumar said.
Responding to suggestions to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin that he should engage with the Union government rather than meeting him on the issue, Shivakumar declined to comment, saying he did not want to react to those remarks.
“We do not want confrontation. There is a law of the land, and we must respect each other and the sentiments of the people on both sides. This is one country,” he said.
On the delay in expanding the Karnataka Cabinet and criticism from BJP State President and MLA B. Y. Vijayendra, Shivakumar took a swipe at the BJP leader and his father, former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa.
“Only B. Y. Vijayendra’s father, B. S. Yediyurappa, has had the opportunity to serve as Chief Minister for a long period without a cabinet. They have enjoyed power as well,” Shivakumar remarked.
However, when asked about the timeline for the long-pending Cabinet expansion, the Chief Minister declined to provide any details and instead reiterated the need to focus on the Cauvery issue.
The announcement of the all-party meeting comes amid heightened tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute following the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s direction to Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
The issue has triggered protests across several parts of the state, with Kannada organisations and farmers’ groups demanding that the government protect Karnataka’s drinking water interests.
–IANS
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