DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting before holding any discussions with Karnataka on the Cauvery water dispute, arguing that the issue requires a united political approach rather than unilateral negotiations.
On his X handle, Stalin criticised Vijay's decision to pursue direct talks with Karnataka without consulting political parties, farmers' organisations, or other stakeholders, describing the move as "unilateral diplomacy" on a matter affecting the entire state.
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"Chief Minister stands alone, thinking of making a separate move. We warned all the political party leaders and farmers' associations in Tamil Nadu that it would not be beneficial to hold talks with Karnataka on the #MekedatuDam issue. We requested the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister not to go to Karnataka. The lesson we have learned in the past is that we should fight legally with a state that has categorically declared that it cannot provide water to Tamil Nadu. They see Tamil Nadu as a drain to drain excess water. But the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu thought that if he goes to Karnataka, he can take Cauvery with him... He sent a delegation to Karnataka despite our warnings. When the CWMA ordered the release of water to Tamil Nadu, they said, 'You should not come now.' We had predicted such situations in advance and warned everyone in Tamil Nadu," he posted.
Questioning the rationale behind the proposed meeting with Karnataka, Stalin argued that the state government should first build a consensus through an all-party meeting to ensure Tamil Nadu's interests are represented collectively. He also referred to Karnataka's decision to convene its own all-party meeting on the issue, asking when the Tamil Nadu government would adopt a similar approach.
"When will the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister convene an all-party meeting? Can he do it, or can't he?" he asked.
தனி ஆவர்த்தனம் செய்ய நினைத்துத் தனிமைப்பட்டு நிற்கிறார் முதலமைச்சர்
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 1, 2026
தமிழ்நாட்டில் உள்ள அரசியல் கட்சித் தலைவர்கள், விவசாயிகள் சங்கத்தினர் எல்லோரும் #MekedatuDam விவகாரத்தில் கர்நாடகத்துடன் பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்துவது பயனளிக்காது என்று எச்சரித்தோம். கர்நாடகம் செல்ல வேண்டாம் என்று…
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The Cauvery dispute remains one of India's most sensitive inter-state water-sharing issues, with Tamil Nadu maintaining that any upstream projects in Karnataka, including the proposed Mekedatu dam, should not affect its legally allocated share of river water. The issue continues to remain at the centre of political and legal debate between the two states.
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