Don't resign, don't release Cauvery water: Deve Gowda to CM

Congress' Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was once JD (S) supremo Deve Gowda’s close confidante during the then Janata Party had had an estranged relationship with him since 2003 when Siddaramaiah joined the Congress party over differences on party leadership. 

 

Since then both leaders have been at loggerheads and never minced words when speaking about each other. However, Siddaramaiah has changed his tune after he lost his son Rakesh Siddaramaiah. 

 

Deve Gowda, who could not attend Siddaramaiah son's funeral, later met Siddaramaiah at his residence and expressed his condolences then. Since then the icy relationship has been thawing. 

 

The Cauvery issue has now once again brought the two leaders together on the same platform (or, as in this case, a room) after a decade. 

 

CM Siddaramaiah had instructed irrigation minister MB Patil to meet Deve Gowda last week and sought his suggestions in the matter. Now after the Apex court verdict, Siddaramaiah himself arrived at Gowda's residence at Padmanabhanagar on Wednesday.

 

"Bring pressure on the Center. Ignore the political difference and stand united with regards to the Cauvery struggle. Let us be prepared for another round of legal battles. If a committee is formed with regards to Cauvery, the state will lose control over our dams," Gowda told the CM. 

 

Gowda also told the CM not to resign for any reason, and instead be prepared to fight for the Cauvery. 

 

Earlier, Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah had a telephonic conversation earlier where the former prime minister extended his moral support to the CM. The chief minister is expected to seek JD(S) supremo’s guidance in handling the crisis. 

 

Meanwhile, the suspended legislators (who were removed for cross-voting) from JD(S) said that they would resign from their posts and join Siddaramaiah in the Cauvery struggle. 

 

MLA, Munirathna Naidu a Congress legislator from RR Nagar, has instructed the six BBMP corporators from his constituency to tender their resignations over the Cauvery protest.

 

"Bengaluru City is also dependent on the Cauvery and to express solidarity with the Cauvery basin farmers in Mandya, Mallavalli, Hassan and Mysuru we have taken a decision to resign and intensify our protest against the BJP-led Union government for its step-motherly treatment towards Karnataka," said Munirathna Naidu.