Backlash Against Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s Cauvery Talks Plan With Karnataka

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s proposal to hold bilateral talks with Karnataka over the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing dispute has triggered strong opposition from political parties and farmers’ organisations in the state.

Vijay is scheduled to visit Bengaluru on August 3 to meet Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for discussions on the Cauvery dispute and Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project. The meeting would be the first visit by a Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to Karnataka for bilateral talks on the Cauvery issue in several years.

The proposed negotiations have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. DMK president M.K. Stalin urged Vijay to abandon the plan, arguing that negotiations could weaken Tamil Nadu’s rights secured through decades of legal battles. Stalin said such talks could undermine the state’s legal position and announced that the DMK would convene an all-party meeting and consult farmer associations before deciding its next course of action.

AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami also demanded that Vijay convene an all-party meeting and seek the views of farmers and legal experts. He said Karnataka must comply with the Supreme Court’s final verdict on Cauvery water sharing and criticised any refusal to release Tamil Nadu’s rightful share. Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth confirmed Vijay’s visit, saying Karnataka had officially invited the Chief Minister. He reiterated Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the Mekedatu project, stating that the state would never allow it to be constructed.

The backlash comes amid renewed water-sharing tensions. Between June 1 and July 22, Tamil Nadu reportedly received only 3.5 TMC ft of water, against the 31 TMC ft it was entitled to under the Supreme Court-mandated schedule. The Cauvery Water Management Authority recently deferred Tamil Nadu’s demand for immediate water release and referred the matter to the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Association has urged Vijay to press the Centre to secure the release of 27.5 TMC ft of water from Karnataka, while PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has opposed talks over Mekedatu.

The proposed meeting is being closely watched as Vijay seeks to revive direct political engagement between the two states, despite calls for the dispute to be resolved through established legal and statutory mechanisms.