Yettinahole river diversion project: Janardhan Poojary hits out at Veerappa Moily

MANGALURU: The rift in ruling Congress in Karnataka over the Yettinahole river diversion project has taken a twist with senior Congress leader and former Union minister Janardhan Poojary condemning former state chief minister Veerappa Moily's reported statement that he had recommended a Lok Sabha ticket for Poojary.

Moily, who favours the project, had recently stated that "some people had grown in politics because of me" and were now opposing the Yettinahole project. Moily had also claimed he had a role in making him MP.

At a press meet here yesterday, Poojary said he was senior to Moily in terms of age and career.

"Moily had asked me to recommend him for the Finance Minister's post when Gundu Rao was chief minister," he said, adding, he would reveal "everything" if Moily spoke against him again.

On Yettinahole project, he said it would in no way be for the welfare of the coastal area people and he could not lie on the issue.

Poojary wanted Moily and former chief minister and Union Law Affairs Minister D V Sadananada Gowda of BJP,to explain to the people of Dakshina Kannada if they wanted the coastal area to become barren.

Life in the entire coastal region would be affected by the project, he said.

The Congress leader said the Rs 13,000 crore to be used for the project was people's money and the leaders favouring it should be ashamed of themselves.

Everyone in DK and Udupi districts should support the fight against the project irrespective of political affiliations, he said.

Poojary warned that the protest against Yettinahole project was a warning bell and unless stopped, it could lead to an agitation demanding separate statehood for 'Tulunadu'.