Panaji, Feb 6 (IANS): The best interests of Goa and Karnataka are the interest of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling party's national general secretary CT Ravi said on Saturday, while commenting on the ongoing Mhadei river water dispute controversy between the two states.

Ravi, who is in Goa to attend the state executive committee meeting of the state BJP, also said that the party would abide by the judgement of the Supreme Court, where the dispute is currently being adjudicated.

"BJP works for national interest. Goa and Karnataka are like two eyes. Goa is like Karnataka and Karnataka is like Goa. The interests of both states are the interest of our party," Ravi, a sitting legislator from Karnataka, said when asked to comment on the Mhadei dispute.

"As far as Mhadei is concerned, we will follow the court's judgement," he also said.

Mhadei, also known as the Mandovi river in Goa and Mahadayi in Karnataka, is considered as a lifeline in the northern parts of Goa. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through Maharashtra.

While the river runs 28.8 km in Karnataka, it is over 50 km in length in the state Goa. Goa, Karnataka are battling out a two decade-long dispute over the sharing of the Mhadei waters.

The Goa government has already filed a contempt petition accusing Karnataka of diverting the river's water, despite the Supreme Court hearing another special leave petition filed by Goa which has challenged the Tribunal's award.