Cauvery water row: A united BJP-JDS makes it tougher for Congress

A united BJP and JDS, armed with the SC judgement on the Cauvery water dispute, has put the Congress government in Karnataka on a back foot.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere in the order issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), the body which handles the water dispute among the two states, to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 26.

This led to protests by farmers in different parts of the state. On Saturday, farmers in Mandya had called for a bandh which was supported by both the BJP and JDS. Mandya is part of the Old Mysuru region where the Congress did fairly well in the recently-held assembly elections.


The SC judgement has come as a boost for the newly-formed BJP-JDS alliance. In fact, on the very same day that the judgement was delivered, JDS leader Kumaraswamy had met BJP leaders Amit Shah and JP Nadda in Delhi.

On Saturday, the entire BJP state leadership, including BS Yeddyurappa, protested in Bengaluru. Yeddyurappa even demanded the resignation of the Congress government for not being able to handle the Cauvery water crisis.

Kumaraswamy visited the KRS dam in Mandya to see the actual water situation. The water from this dam fulfils 70% of the water needs of Bengaluru. JDS has a presence among the farming community mostly in the Old Mysuru region.

BJP and JDS leaders have been accusing the Congress government of pleasing Tamil Nadu by releasing the water.

"People of Karnataka are paying the price for the 'INDI' Alliance. Karnataka Congress is overlooking the interests of its own state to benefit Tamil Nadu and the INDI Alliance," BJP leader CT Ravi, told ET.