Water sharing depends on new govt in Karnataka

Twitterati worked overtime early on Tuesday, attempting to elicit response from state BJP leaders who predicted a favourable outcome for TN in the Cauvery case once their party captures power in Bengaluru. 

Not anticipating a dramatic turnaround later in the evening in the neighbouring state, even DMK working president MK Stalin, asked the state BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who asked people to wait for Cauvery Management Board (CMB) till the BJP forms government, to honour the promise and secure the riparian rights of Tamil Nadu. 

Union Minister of state Pon Radhakrishnan’s reiteration on Tuesday that formation of the BJP government would solve Cauvery problems at least for the next five years has raised doubts here about the outcome of the case if the Congress-JD(S) combine manages to capture power. 

While optimists argued that BJP might favour TN if it does not form government, some doubted that near resurgence in Karnataka might tempt PM Narendra Modi regime to turn its back on TN to up its stakes for 2019.  

Very few would not doubt considering the way the BJP had sought time in the SC till the conclusion of Karnataka election. Add JD(S) leader Deve Gowda’s hardline stand on the Cauvery issue, including the “death warrant” remark about a SC order directing the state to release water to TN, there is little hope that his party, which has staked claim, would conform to the apex court or the BJP-led Centre’s directive on the vexed riparian issue.