DMK has no locus standi, raps AIADMK

It is not an all-party meeting but a DMK meeting. If their intention was good and if they had really struggled for Cauvery, all would have participated,” AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathy said. 

She charged the DMK with having failed to ensure any solution to the vexed issue, “despite being in power for long”. “DMK did not raise the issue even in Parliament despite being a part of the Central government for 19 years,” she said in an apparent reference to the Karunanidhi-led party being a part of various coalitions that formed governments at the Centre. 

Senior BJP leader and Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan alleged that the meeting convened by DMK would not benefit farmers in any way. “This all-party meeting is out and out a DMK alliance meeting. More so, a meeting of those who are desperate to join (DMK-led) alliance,” he said without naming anybody. 

Rejecting the criticism that his party had failed to do anything on the Cauvery issue, Stalin said that the Cauvery tribunal was set up by former PM VP Singh following “Kalaignar (Karunanidhi’s) efforts”.

Earlier on Monday, the State cabinet that met under the leadership of Finance Minister O Panneerselvam after holding discussions on the Cauvery water issue decided to write to the Centre stressing Tamil Nadu’s stand.