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Updated October 18th, 2019 at 20:33 IST

Mahadayi dispute: BJP MLA slams Yediyurappa, demands separate state

BJP legislator from Hukkeri Umesh Katti on Friday slammed the CM for his remarks in favor of Maharashtra on the Mahadayi river water dispute.

Mahadayi
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A new irritant has emerged for Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as a fellow BJP legislator Umesh Katti on Friday slammed the CM for his remarks in favor of Maharashtra on the Mahadayi river water dispute. Katti suggested that if Yediyurappa fails to solve the water crisis in north Karnataka, then that calls for the creation of a new state altogether.

READ | Ballari Spells Trouble For Yediyurappa, Yet Again

"Without implementing the Mahadayi project, giving such statements is strongly condemnable. If he is not able to release water to north Karnataka and solve the crisis there, Yediyurappa should bifurcate the state and give us a new state. I will fight for this till my last breath. Solapur and Sangli (in Maharashtra) should be included in the new state," he said at a press conference in Sankeshwar.

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Unhappy over Yediyurappa's poll talk

Katti's comments came after Yediyurappa had recently said at an election rally in Maharashtra that the Karnataka government will release Mahadayi water to the state. "The bilateral talks between the Maharashtra and Karnataka can solve the issue while the situation remains like this. But Maharashtra did not release water when we requested them even after seven years. The Mahadayi project has also not yet started," Katti said. He claimed that Yediyurappa's comment was just to "attract the voters" in Maharashtra.

"42 taluks in north Karnataka depend on Mahadayi water. 40 TMC of water which was allotted to the state government is needed to be utilized at this point in time. So, the statement made by BS Yediyurappa is not appropriate," the MLA from Hukkeri said.

READ | MK Stalin Urges Karnataka CM Yediyurappa To Drop The Mekedatu Project

Dream state in the north

He also laid out a "roadmap" for such a new state in north Karnataka and said it would include 13 districts from Karnataka and four from Maharashtra, where there is a sizeable Kannada speaking populace.

Tri-state issue over water

Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra have conflicting interests on the issue of sharing Mahadayi river water. While the river originates in Karnataka, a major part of it flows in Goa and briefly in Maharashtra. Karnataka aims to use the water from the Kalasa Banduri project on the Mahadayi to irrigate its water-scarce northern districts. Its two northern neighbors are however concerned that it would affect their supply of water from the river.

READ | Karnataka Minister Assures Efforts To End Deadlock Over

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Published October 18th, 2019 at 18:29 IST

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