Congress Party Splits Over Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Project
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Congress President Manickam Tagore clashed over the proposed Mekedatu dam, sparking an intra-party dispute within the Indian National Congress.
A political conflict has erupted within the Indian National Congress over the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir on the Cauvery River. DK Shivakumar, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, asserted that the project is a state right and that "no one can stop" its construction. He argued the dam would provide drinking water to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region, generate 400 MW of hydroelectric power, and protect Tamil Nadu's allocated water share in accordance with Supreme Court directives.
Manickam Tagore, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, condemned the project as illegal and a threat to the livelihoods of farmers in the Cauvery delta. Tagore criticized Shivakumar for making these assertions in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the Prime Minister's silence as "condemnable" and urging him to withhold final approval for the dam to prevent the obstruction of water flow into Tamil Nadu.
The dispute has expanded beyond the Congress party. DMK leader MK Stalin urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting to protect the state's water rights. While the Karnataka Congress unit supports Shivakumar, other regional parties including the AIADMK and BJP have criticized the project, with some observers characterizing the internal Congress conflict as political drama.
