The reported statement of Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar during an election campaign in Tamil Nadu that Karnataka had dropped the plans to implement the Mekedatu hydel project across the Cauvery in the wake of the objections by Tamil Nadu has triggered a controversy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has said the Congress was “sacrificing the interests of Karnataka for the sake of votes.”
Pending proposal The proposal for taking up the project comprising two generating units with a capacity of 200 MW each has been pending for nearly 15 years. When Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra announced last year that the State would take up the project, Tamil Nadu opposed it and even moved the Supreme Court.
Taking exception to the statement of the Energy Minister, the former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council D.V. Sadananda Gowda told a press conference here that “the Congress is trying to sacrifice the interests of the state to woo voters [in Tamil Nadu].”
Mr. Gowda said political parties and leaders should not compromise on protecting the interests of the State with respect to the Cauvery water issue. He remarked that they were unfit to be in politics if they want to sacrifice the interests of the State and the country for the sake of votes.
‘Let the CM quit if he is too tired of addressing rallies’
Ridiculing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his reported remark that he was tired after addressing 113 poll rallies in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and the former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Monday said “he should vacate the post of the Chief Minister if he is so much tired.”
“BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has addressed 450 election rallies across the country and he is not tired. But our Chief Minister is very tired by addressing 113 rallies within the State,” Mr. Gowda said. Those who want to build the nation and the State should be willing to keep their tiredness aside, he told Mr. Siddaramaiah.
