Exerting pressure on Centre over Cauvery issue: TN deputy CM

Chennai, Mar 22: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu said it was exerting adequate pressure on the Centre over the Cauvery issue and cited the persistent protests by party MPs in Parliament to drive home its point.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam informed the state Assembly that the government was firm on its stand that the Centre must constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

He was responding to DMK working president and Leader of Opposition MK Stalin, who raised the issue, and sought to know if AIADMK will move a no-confidence motion against the BJP government like the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP had done.

Telugu Desam Party had recently ended its alliance with BJP over the issue of Special category status for Andhra Pradesh and moved the no-trust motion. Responding to Stalin, Panneerselvam recalled the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the Cauvery issue on February 16 and pointed out Tamil Nadu was steadfast on its demand for setting up CMB and CWRC. "Our determined stand is that CWMB and CWRC should be constituted," he said.

Further, the AIADMK was exerting adequate pressure on the Centre over the issue, he said, and cited the persistent protests by party MPs in Parliament on the matter. "Our MPs are exerting so much pressure that parliament has remained stalled," he said, even as the stalemate entered the second week today in Delhi.

Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted for the 14th straight day today on the second leg of the budget session due to unabated protests by opposition parties and those from some southern states, including AIADMK.

Panneerselvam said there was time till the end of the month for constituting CWMB and CWRC and hinted that the government will formulate its move thereafter based on the Centre's move on constituting them. The government could also involve the opposition to chalk out a strategy, he added.

The AIADMK government had earlier convened a meeting of all political parties and farmers' representatives on the Cauvery issue, where it was decided that an all-party delegation would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urge him to constitute the Cauvery panels.

PTI