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Decision was Karunanidhi’s own: Congress

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday clarified that the move to put the Hogenakkal project on hold was “absolutely the decision of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi,” as there was no popular government in place in Karnataka to resolve the issue.

While appreciating the “gesture” on the part of Mr. Karunanidhi, Chairman of the Media Department M. Veerappa Moily sought to deny the “impression that was created” [at a press briefing in Bangalore on Tuesday] that the Congress president had personally spoken to Mr. Karunanidhi to keep the project on hold.

“It is clarified that the Congress president is interested in an amicable settlement of the dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as she is very much concerned that the environment of peace and cordiality between the people of both the States prevails. The decision to put the project on hold was Mr. Karunanidhi’s as he feels that there is no popular government in Karnataka in place to resolve the issue,” he said.

The deferment has come as a relief for the Congress that goes to the polls in Karnataka from May 10.

Tamil Nadu’s move to take up a Rs. 1,340-crore drinking water project by constructing a reservoir near Hogenakkal snowballed into a major controversy recently with its neighbour.

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