TVK has urged the Congress high command not to create political pressure on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay over the Mekedatu dam issue, according to a senior party functionary.
The functionary said Karnataka’s new Chief Minister, senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar, has recently reiterated that a dam will be built at Mekedatu across the Cauvery—an issue seen as critical for farming in Tamil Nadu’s delta districts.
While Vijay has remained restrained in keeping with alliance commitments, Shivakumar’s comments—suggesting that the dam cannot be stopped because TVK is in power with Congress support—have, TVK claims, placed the Tamil Nadu government in a difficult position.
The TVK leader noted that delta farmers are already upset with the government over the farm loan waiver issue, and argued that such statements are not helpful for alliance ties. TVK said it has asked the Congress leadership to keep Mekedatu politics within Karnataka and avoid remarks that corner Vijay, adding that the high command has advised Shivakumar accordingly.
