Cauvery Issue: Tamil Nadu parties divided over AIADMK's reluctance to condemn BJP

From raising their voice in unison immediately after the Supreme Court’s February 16 order on Cauvery river dispute, the bonhomie among the political parties in Tamil Nadu has vanished thanks to the ruling AIADMK’s reluctance to categorically condemn the BJP government at the centre for failing to set up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.

Opposition parties in the state were outright in their condemnation of the BJP and accused it of delaying the setting up of the CMB considering its political implication in the poll-bound Karnataka which is going to polls on May 12.

The ruling AIADMK is holding a state-wide hunger strike in all district headquarters on Tuesday in an “appeal” to the Centre to set up the CMB and the CWRC. While the DMK-led like-minded parties comprising Congress, MDMK, CPI (M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, IUML and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi have called for a state bandh on April 5. 

Federation of Traders’ Association in Tamil Nadu has called for the traders to shut their shops on April 3 while Pattali Makkal Katchi has called for a bandh on April 11 coinciding with the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state.   

DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi accused the AIADMK of colluding with the BJP. “Except the AIADMK, all other parties are more or less on the same lines. PMK has extended its support to the bandh called by the DMK and other like-minded parties on April 5,” he told DNA. He said that the AIADMK leaders were scared of the BJP. “So they are refusing to the condemn the BJP government,” he said.

In an attempt to turn the tables on the DMK on the Cauvery issue, senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai said that his party would consider moving a no-trust motion in the Lok Sabha against the NDA government if the Congress supported it. "Stalin (DMK working president) says AIADMK should bring a no-trust motion on Cauvery issue. We are ready to bring it. Let Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi issue a statement (indicating support), they (DMK) are in alliance with them (Congress)... only if they (Congress) support, we will get the (requisite) numbers," he said.

Almost on the same lines, the BJP state leaders were taking on the DMK accusing the Dravidian party of double standards for protesting seeking CMB on one hand and aligning with the Congress, whose government in Karnataka was opposed to it. BJP national secretary H Raja had even said that Tamil Nadu would get its share of water if the BJP wins the Karnataka election.