From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 5: On a day political parties in neighbouring Tamil Nadu observed a day-long bandh to exert pressure on the Narendra Modi regime to immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asked the Centre not to yield to Tamil Nadu’s pressure tactics.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister said the Tamil Nadu government has been unnecessarily mounting pressure on the Centre for formation of the Cauvery Water Management Board by resorting to hunger strike by political leaders in that State and even observing a State-wide bandh.

He pointed out that the all-party meeting convened by him in Bengaluru, which was attended by Union Ministers H N Ananth Kumar and D V Sadananda Gowda last month, had unanimously decided against filing a review petition challenging the final verdict of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Deepak Mishra had pronounced its verdict on February 16, increasing Karnataka’s share of the Cauvery water from 270 tmcft to 284.75 tmcft.

The Supreme Court has merely suggested formation of a "scheme" for implementation of its order and not the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB), he said.

The Centre has to discharge its duties as per the court verdict, he said.

He pointed out that the State has urged the Centre to establish a dispute resolution forum in consultation with Karnataka and other riparian States in the Cauvery basin.

BJP, JD(S) trying hard to defeat

The Chief Minister accused the Opposition JD(S) and BJP of coming together and working hard for ensuring his defeat in the coming assembly elections.

In 2006 too, BJP and JD(S) joined hands to defeat him but he won the elections, Siddaramaiah said.

On former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s allegations regarding misuse of State machinery and use of money power by the Congress, the Chief Minister said the JD(S) supremo has more experience in politics than him and therefore must know better.

Asked if he had received any invitation to contest from Badami constituency in North Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said it was true that he was urged to contest one of the constituencies in North Karnataka.

But he said that he had yet not decided on contesting polls from more than one constituency. "I will abide by the party’s decision," he added.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah paid rich floral tributes to late Congress leader Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary.