Mekedatu dam: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah leads all-party delegation to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today led an all-party delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Centre's "cooperation" for implementing the Mekedatu dam project in his state, which is being opposed by neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

"We sought support from the Government of India to go ahead with the project," Siddaramaiah told reporters outside Parliament House after meeting Modi.

Terming Tamil Nadu's opposition to the project as "politically motivated", he stressed that interests of the neighbouring state would not be affected by this project.

"We are planning to construct a dam across the Cauvery river, which is in our territory. This project will not affect the interest of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu people's opposition to the project is politically motivated," he said.

Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka was releasing 192 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu as per the award of the tribunal and asserted that construction of hydro electric project was "within the rights of Karnataka".

Asked about Modi's response, Siddaramaiah said, "Prime Minister has not given any assurance. He said that he would examine it."

The Karnataka Chief Minister also urged Modi to convene a meeting of chief ministers to discuss about making respective regional languages as medium of instruction in primary schools.

Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and Sadananda Gowda, MPs including senior BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge were also present during the meeting.

The Karnataka all-party delegation's meeting with Modi comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam and opposition parties from the state calling on the Prime Minister separately over the issue recently.

Siddaramaiah in his budget speech, presented on March 13, has proposed preparing a detailed project report for construction of balancing reservoir on the upstream of Mekedatu across the Cauvery river.