Mekedatu: Cong titans make big splash, but BJP frowns

Siddu, Shivakumar lead padayatra for implementation of water project; Bommai slams Congmen for flouting Covid restrictions.

NT Correspondent

Ramanagara: The stage is set for a confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Congress after the Opposition party, brushing aside objections, launched its 10 day padayatra, demanding implementation of the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery, despite COVID-19 restrictions and prohibitory orders in place.

Congress state president D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah led the padayatra which has the theme ‘Namma Neeru Namma Hakku’ (Our water, Our right). The yatra began at Sangama, the confluence of the Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers and will travel over 100 km before reaching Bengaluru.

Though the Congress insists the padayatra is intended to secure the state’s rightful share of Cauvery water, sources say the party is making a determined effort to regain power in the 2023 polls and feels this could be the springboard which will catapult it to victory. The padayatra will pass through the Vokkaliga dominated districts in the Old Mysuru region where the Congress and JD(S) are the dominant parties.