Road Transport Minister Radhakrishnan praises Jayalalitha's handling of Cauvery crisis

CHENNAI: Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan today met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to discuss road projects in the state and lauded her for "patiently" handling the ongoing Cauvery crisis.

Speaking to reporters after meeting her at the Secretariat here, he said discussions centered around central road projects in Tamil Nadu.

He had words of praise for Jayalalithaa on the Cauvery issue.

"The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has done exceedingly well in the Cauvery issue...has handled (it) very patiently," he said.

The Minister was responding to reporters' queries on whether he had discussed with Jayalalithaa, today's bandh called for by farmers' and traders' bodies to protest the violence against Tamils in Karnataka and seek a lasting solution to the pressing inter-state dispute.

Asked about allegations that his party BJP was behind the violence in Karnataka, Radhakrishnan dismissed the charges as "baseless."

He, however, said he would discuss the violence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he meets him.

Radhakrishnan said he had sought Tamil Nadu government's cooperation in expediting central road projects in the state, including converting the East Coast Road into a National Highway and expand it to four lanes.

Jayalalithaa assured him of the state's support, he added.