'Don't Play Politics': CM Vijay Rejects All-Party Meet As Mekedatu Row Rocks TN Assembly

Chennai: The Mekedatu dam dispute triggered a heated face-off in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday, with Chief Minister Vijay rejecting the Opposition's demand for an all-party meeting and accusing rivals of attempting to politicise the sensitive Cauvery water issue.

Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin urged the government to convene an all-party meeting, arguing that Tamil Nadu must present a united front against Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery River. He also questioned the government's reported plan for Vijay to visit Karnataka, citing conflicting statements from ministers and remarks by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah opposing such a visit.

"Like Karnataka, all political parties in Tamil Nadu should demonstrate unity against the Mekedatu dam. Everyone is asking why the government is avoiding an all-party meeting," Udhayanidhi said in the Assembly.

Responding to the criticism, Vijay ruled out the need for an all-party meeting, saying the government's stand had already been conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through an official letter.

"There is no need to convene an all-party meeting. Please do not play politics on the Mekedatu dam issue. Our government will not compromise on Tamil Nadu's rights regarding the Cauvery water issue or the Mekedatu dam issue," Vijay said.

The Chief Minister asserted that his government would continue to pursue the dispute through legal channels and insisted that political parties should not seek credit over an issue affecting the state's interests.

The debate intensified after Tamil Nadu Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar announced that the government had convened a meeting of all Members of Parliament on Saturday to discuss the delimitation issue and questioned whether DMK MPs would attend.

Udhayanidhi accused the government of attempting to divert attention from the Mekedatu issue, maintaining that the Opposition had specifically sought an all-party meeting on the dam dispute and farmers' loan waiver.

Minister Aadhav Arjuna, meanwhile, criticised the previous DMK government, stating that review petitions filed under former Chief Minister MK Stalin against Karnataka's Mekedatu project had been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

DMK leader KN Nehru rejected the allegation, saying the previous government had acted promptly on the issue and stressing that Tamil Nadu's political parties should remain united in opposing the dam instead of engaging in political confrontation.

PMK MLA Sowmya Anbumani also backed the demand for an all-party meeting and urged the state government to pass resolutions and take the matter to the Centre.

The Assembly exchange comes amid heightened political tensions over both the Cauvery water dispute and the delimitation debate, with the Tamil Nadu government scheduled to hold a meeting of MPs on delimitation on Saturday while the Opposition continues to press for a broader political consensus on the Mekedatu project.

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