From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Nov 27: After blowing hot and cold over the Cauvery water sharing issue and exerting pressure on Karnataka for release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu despite the State’s refusal to accede due to drought situation in Karnataka, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has now agreed to meet her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar.
The AIADMK Supremo has even set the date and has declared that she will come to Bangalore on Thursday, November 29, for holding talks with Shettar.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s turn-around comes in the wake of the Supreme Court on Monday for sitting down with Karnataka chief minister and sort out the issue amicably.
On behalf of Karnataka, the State’s counsel in the apex court Fali S Nariman had already told the Supreme Court that the State welcomed the directive from the court and had no problem in trying to resolve the issue through mutual discussion.
Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had flown to Delhi for meeting the State MPs and brief them on the issue of grant of special status to the backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371 in the morning, is expected to be back by evening.
According to an official press release issued by the Tamil Nadu Government, the Chief Minister accepted the Supreme Court’s directive in an effort to find a solution to the Cauvery water sharing issue.
Tamil Nadu wanted to discuss the issue and find a solution keeping the interests of farmers in both the states as suggested by the apex court, the press release said.
"Why the two Chief Ministers can't sit together? Give it a try, it is not impossible," a bench of justices D K Jain and Madan B Lokur had said yesterday.
"We want you to meet in a congenial manner and discuss the issue in the larger interest of farmers from both states," it said.
The court said that it is not possible for Cauvery River Authority headed by the Prime Minister to meet, so the state governments should meet to find a solution.
"Try to find out a solution through give and take," the bench said, adding "the Chief Ministers should not meet just for coffee but they should meet along with their experts to find a solution.”
The court urged both the Chief Ministers to have a meeting and posted the matter for directions on Friday.