Congress responsible for Mahadayi row: Basavaraj Bommai

Chamarajanagar (Karnataka), Dec 13: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday hit out at the Congress and said the party was responsible for Mahadayi dispute.

He said, "The Congress Party feels that people have forgotten, but they very well know about that party.

"The Congress announced two conventions in regard to Mahadayi, Krishna and SC/ST reservation. It was the Congress party which was responsible for the Mahadayi project to become controversial," he said.

"The party supremo Sonia Gandhi during the election campaign in Goa declared that not even a drop of water will be diverted anywhere. What rights they have as they failed to do anything when in power from 2013 to 2018. The Congress Party did not bother to look at SC/ST for 40 years," CM Bommai questioned.

Bommai said Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly, Siddaramaiah has tweeted of giving internal reservation if the Congress returns to power. "While he was the chief minister, during a convention to table the report, Siddaramaiah just lit the lamp and did not speak," he said.

"All his actions are in the minds of people. To hush it up, the convention was held. They cannot fool the people again and again. The Congress leaders, during the previous Assembly elections, had promised to give internal reservation but did they pressure the Congress-JD(S) coalition govt to implement it?" Bommai questioned.

The CM ruled out any confusion on the quota for SC/ST, and said the proposal will be forwarded on Wednesday.

The Mahadayi dispute is over the sharing of water from the Mahadayi River that flows between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.