Shivakumar's Mekedatu Stand Drives Wedge Within Congress: 'Won't Compromise On Tamil Nadu's Rights'
Shivakumar's Mekedatu Stand Drives Wedge Within Congress: 'Won't Compromise On Tamil Nadu's Rights' Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 11:13 IST Congress MP Manickam
Shivakumar's Mekedatu Stand Drives Wedge Within Congress: 'Won't Compromise On Tamil Nadu's Rights' Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 11:13 IST Congress MP Manickam Tagore said he boycotted DK Shivakumar's swearing-in over Mekedatu remarks, reiterating that Tamil Nadu's Cauvery rights are non-negotiable. File photos of Manickam Tagore/DK Shivakumar (PTI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday asserted that his party would never compromise on Tamil Nadu’s rights, particularly on the Mekedatu dam project, and revealed that he had skipped Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s swearing-in ceremony because of the latter’s remarks on the project. Tagore’s comments come amid political opposition in Tamil Nadu to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery river, an issue that has long strained relations between the two southern states. Speaking in Virudhunagar, the Congress leader said, “Congress will never compromise on Tamil Nadu’s rights." Referring to the Mekedatu controversy, he added that he did not attend Shivakumar’s swearing-in ceremony because of the Karnataka leader’s stand on the project.
The Virudhunagar MP’s statement comes days after Shivakumar welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Tamil Nadu’s review petition related to the Mekedatu project. Calling the court order “good news" for Karnataka, Shivakumar had said the state government was grateful for the decision and that the matter now rested with the Centre. “The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court has dismissed the review petition filed by Tamil Nadu regarding the Mekedatu project. This is good news for Karnataka. On behalf of the people of Karnataka, we express our gratitude to the Supreme Court," Shivakumar had said. He had also stated that Karnataka was in the process of submitting a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project. WHAT IS THE MEKEDATU PROJECT? The Mekedatu controversy centres on Karnataka’s proposal to build a balancing reservoir and drinking water project across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu, near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Karnataka has consistently argued that the project is necessary to meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru and the surrounding regions while also helping generate hydroelectric power.
The state maintains that the reservoir will not affect Tamil Nadu’s allocated share of Cauvery waters and that it will operate within the framework of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and Supreme Court directions. Tamil Nadu, however, has strongly opposed the proposal. Political parties, farmer organisations and successive state governments have argued that the project could adversely affect downstream water flows and impact agriculture in the Cauvery delta region. The state has also maintained that Karnataka cannot proceed with the project without obtaining the required approvals and addressing the concerns of lower riparian states. The issue has gained renewed attention in Tamil Nadu in recent weeks as farmer organisations intensified protests against the project. Last week, hundreds of farmers participated in a protest rally in Nagapattinam, demanding that both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government take steps to halt the proposed dam. Protesters argued that any reduction in Cauvery water flow would threaten agricultural activities and livelihoods across the delta districts. The demonstration witnessed tense moments when police attempted to stop the march, leading to a brief scuffle.
Farmer bodies have repeatedly warned that the Mekedatu reservoir could undermine water security in Tamil Nadu’s farming regions, a claim that Karnataka disputes. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: June 04, 2026, 11:00 IST News india Shivakumar's Mekedatu Stand Drives Wedge Within Congress: 'Won't Compromise On Tamil Nadu's Rights' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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