Ahead of general elections, the prevalent water crisis issue in Karnataka has taken a center stage. Political leaders are bringing back into focus and promising implementation of the Mekedatu project, as parties vie to lure the vote bank. 

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D Devegowda on Sunday said that his party’s manifesto will include the implementation of the Mekedatu project. He also urged all other political parties to include in their manifestos too. He also reiterated that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to the Centre in 2019 and the intervention of PM Modi has been requested for. 

This comes after Tamil Nadu CM, M.K Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), in its manifesto, has promised to stop the construction of the Mekedatu project. The construction of a multipurpose balancing reservoir project at the confluence of the Cauvery river and its tributary Arkavathi river, has been a contentious matter between both states for years. 

Congress leader, Deputy CM of Karnataka, D.K Shivakumar too jumped in to defend, as he said that he has taken the irrigation portfolio mainly to ensure that the Mekedatu project is implemented. He responded after BJP criticised the Congress government DMK’s declaration in its manifesto. Congress and the DMK are both part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Even as the matter still remains subjudice, its being brought back to limelight as Karnataka is currently facing a water crisis, which is expected to only get worse at the peak of summer in April, around the polls. 

Political analyst, Harish Ramaswamy notes that, given the current water crisis, it has become more timely to a certain extent to bring up the Mekedatu issue. This also puts Congress on the backfoot as it has to come up with solutions to handle the water crises. “The Mekedatu issue despite being subjudice has always remained an electoral issue and this is a right time for both parties to bring it up and get voter attention. The benefit however this time can be for BJP, as it can question Congress over its stance given the INDIA alliance in the center,” he said.

The State at large has been seeing insufficient rainfall over the last two monsoons. From October to December, Karnataka experienced a 38 per cent decrease in North-East Monsoon rainfall and from June to September, the State experienced a 25 per cent shortfall in SouthWest monsoon precipitation. As a result of this, 223 of the 236 talukas have been declared as drought-hit.

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