Bengaluru, Dec 29 (IANS): Karnataka former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday ridiculed the 'padayatra' organised by the Opposition Congress on the implementation of the Mekedatu project in the state.

"Congress leaders have duped people of north Karnataka by launching padayatra regarding utilisation of Krishna river before. Now they have all set to dupe people of south Karnataka region with padayatra on the Mekedatu project," he said.

Reacting to the invitation of state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar to participate in the Mekedatu padayatra, Kumaraswamy stated, "State Congress President is all set to dupe me as well as the people of 84 taluks of south Karnataka."

The Mekedatu project is the brainchild of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. His contribution to the irrigation sector of the state is immense. The Congress is turning a blind eye towards it, Kumaraswamy underlined.

"The Congress has stopped the judicious share of 9 TMC of water in Cauvery fourth stage for providing drinking water to Bengaluru. Congress had come under the pressure of Tamil Nadu and denied the permission to utilise the share of the state during the tenure of late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Now, Congress is posing as saviour of the state," he chided.

"The Congress couldn't stop H.D. Deve Gowda from alloting the state's share of water when he became the Prime Minister. The Congress has been pretending to be ignorant about all this and are planning padayatra which is nothing but vote bank politics," he said.

"It is Deve Gowda who implemented schemes to bring Cauvery water to Bengaluru. By not acknowledging this fact, the Congress is trying to mislead people. What is needed for implementation of the Mekedatu project is inserting pressure on the Central government and get technical clearances. There is no need for slogans," Kumaraswamy stated.

The Congress is all set to launch a padayatra from January 9, demanding for speedy implementation of the Mekedatu project by the ruling BJP in the state.