AIADMK welcomes Yeddyurappa’s takeover, expects tight vigil over Sasi

The party also feels that the pressure on the state government on the Cauvery front could ease up since the BJP had been routed in the river basin constituencies in the neighbouring state. Most of the MLAs elected from the Cauvery basin of Mysore, Mandya and Hassan are from the JD (S) and Congress and they are now in the opposition fighting to stop Yeddyurappa from winning the confidence vote.

Two days after Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam greeted Yeddyurappa with warmth, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said, “I have all the hopes that the new government in Karnataka will release Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court direction. There is more hope that we will obtain the 4 tmc of water which is due for this month.”

Besides, the ruling AIADMK had always considered the Congress regime in Bengaluru as a friend of Sasikala, who had vowed to topple the AIADMK government. A saffron government in Karnataka is expected to keep a close vigil on her activities in prison.

On the Cauvery issue, the delay by the BJP in the formation of a mechanism had not helped the party in Karnataka, especially in the Cauvery basin districts which usually rise in protests and fan the anti-Tamil sentiments throughout the state.

The JD (S) and Congress had won 23 out of the 27 seats in the Cauvery basin districts. The BJP suffered a total rout in Mandya district losing in all the seven constituencies. In Mysuru too, the BJP was successful only in two of the 11 seats.

In the Hassan district, the BJP won a single seat losing all the remaining five seats. The farmers of the Cauvery basin region had not voted for the BJP despite its promise of crop loan waivers to all the farmers.

BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan too echoed the optimism of the AIADMK leaders and said, “Cauvery is going to flow into Tamil Nadu soon.

BJP itself is a party of farmers and all the farmers including those from Tamil Nadu will benefit.”

Meanwhile, Jaya TV owned by Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam highlighted the speeches of Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi attacking the BJP on formation of government in Karnataka indicating the party’s stand.