Chief Minister M. K. Stalin will not discuss the Mullaperiyar issue with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday to attend the Regional Conference of the Chief Ministers of Southern States, Minister for Water Resources S. Durai Murugan said here today.
“Since the matter is pending before the court after our talks failed, the Chief Minister will not discuss anything about the Mullaperiyar issue with the Chief Minister of Kerala,” said Mr. Durai Murugan who was here to inspect the Tamirabharani – Karumaeniyar – Nambiyar linking project.
The Union Home Ministry has convened the Southern Regional Conference of the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka in Thiruvananthapuram on September 3 to discuss the law and order situation, inter-State relations, infrastructure development, public health, women’s safety and sharing of water inter-State water. Since, Mr. Stalin was likely to meet Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan during his brief stay in Thiruvananthapuram, it was expected that he would discuss the Mullaperiyar dam issue with him in a bid to find an amicable solution.
Categorically denying it, Mr. Durai Murugan said the Chief Minister would not discuss the issue with his Kerala counterpart as Tamil Nadu had already approached the court after talks with the neighbouring State failed.
When asked for his comments on BJP State president K. Annamalai’s diatribe against the State Finance Minister and his Cabinet colleague P.T.R. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Mr. Durai Murugan, replied with his trademark laugh, but did not comment.
