CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday urged the “TVK-Congress coalition govt” to immediately convene an all-party meeting against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project and the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, saying Tamil Nadu should adopt a united legal and political strategy to safeguard its rights.In a statement, Palaniswami said chief minister C Joseph Vijay should consult leaders of all political parties, representatives of Cauvery delta farmers’ associations and legal experts before taking any decision on the Mekedatu project.Referring to reports that Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar had maintained that the state’s stand on Cauvery water sharing would remain unchanged even if his TN counterpart sought talks, Palaniswami questioned the purpose of bilateral negotiations.

Recalling former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s meeting with then Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar in 2012 following the Supreme Court’s suggestion to explore an amicable settlement, Palaniswami said she had later expressed disappointment over the outcome. Jayalalithaa had stated that the Karnataka govt would never understand the plight of Tamil Nadu and that there was no purpose in holding talks with her counterpart, he said.Palaniswami alleged that Karnataka’s reported stand of releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu only after filling its own reservoirs was contrary to the Supreme Court’s final verdict on the inter-state river water dispute.He urged the Tamil Nadu govt to exert legal and moral pressure on Karnataka to secure the state’s rightful share of Cauvery water in accordance with the apex court’s judgment.Reiterating AIADMK’s demand, Palaniswami called on the TVK-Congress coalition govt to convene an all-party meeting without delay and evolve a common legal and political strategy after consulting all stakeholders before proceeding further on the Mekedatu issue.