A day after Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa promised to extend an irrigation project of Karnataka to help the people of Jath in Maharashtra, during an election rally, the former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said it was the Congress government-led by him that granted the project that would also help parts of Jath.
Addressing an election rally in support of Congress–NCP candidate Vikram Savant at Jath on Thursday, Mr. Siddaramaiah took strong exception to the announcement of Mr. Yediyurappa that he would discuss the issue of sharing Tubachi–Babaleshwar lift irrigation project waters with people of Jath.
“The ₹3,600-crore project was started by our government. At that time, considering the plight of Kannadigas living in Jath bordering Karnataka, our government had decided to extend the project to help the farmers there. Now, Mr. Yediyurappa is claiming that he will give water. He is making such a promise when the days of his government are numbered,” he said, and asked the BJP leader not to make such false promises.
Criticised
Meanwhile, State president of Raita Sena Veeresh Sobaradmath Swami has criticised Mr. Yediyurappa’s statement. “Mr. Yediyurappa, who had promised to resolve the Mahadayi water-sharing row within 15 days of coming to power, has done nothing so far. Let him first resolve the Mahadayi row before making false promise to farmers in Maharashtra,” he said.
