Chennai: “In the current situation, where the Karnataka Chief Minister has once again begun speaking seriously about building the Mekedatu dam, the Tamil Nadu government should no longer remain silent, and an all-party meeting should be convened to express our unity and our opposition to the Karnataka Chief Minister’s remarks,” said M.K. Stalin, urging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay.
In this regard, in a letter written to Chief Minister Vijay, DMK leader M.K. Stalin said, “Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, at a government function held in Mysuru on 13-11-2026 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, once again spoke about the Mekedatu dam. I wish to bring to your attention that D.K. Shivakumar’s remarks at that event—that the Supreme Court itself had said that the Mekedatu dam should be built in Karnataka, and that no one can stop it—have caused great outrage among Tamil Nadu farmers.
Kaveri is more than just a matter of water sharing; historically and emotionally, it is deeply intertwined with the lives of Tamils. The entire livelihood of the delta farmers depends on it. Therefore, I would like to once again remind you at this time that I have been consistently emphasizing from the beginning that the Tamil Nadu government cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the Mekedatu dam issue.
Based on past experiences, there is no room for any negotiation with Karnataka regarding Cauvery water rights. Tamil Nadu’s position has always been that we will secure our rights only through legal means. Going against this, when reports emerged that after assuming office as Chief Minister you would go to Karnataka and hold talks with that state’s government on this issue, we warned, “Don’t do this dangerous experiment.”
Even as there was no transparency about your visit to Karnataka as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and no official announcement had been made, ministers kept making contradictory statements, confusing the farming community.
It was at this point that Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar himself said at a press conference, “They approached us for talks on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government. Karnataka did not approach them.” In the end, yielding to the opposition voiced by some organizations in Karnataka, he said, “Under the present circumstances, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister should not come to Karnataka.” None of these developments were pleasing to the people of Tamil Nadu.
In the Cauvery issue, while all the parties in Karnataka are speaking with one voice, I had emphasized that it is essential for the parties in Tamil Nadu too to express our unity in order to protect our farmers, and I had also stated that an all-party meeting should be convened immediately to discuss our next course of action.
When the resolution was passed that the issue of building the Mekedatu dam should be referred to the tribunal, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, on behalf of the main opposition party DMK, insisted in the Assembly itself that an all-party meeting should be convened, and also said that the resolution passed at the all-party meeting would be submitted to the Prime Minister through the MLAs and MPs.
In the current situation, where the Karnataka Chief Minister has once again begun speaking seriously about building the Mekedatu dam, the Tamil Nadu government should no longer remain silent. Therefore, through this letter, I request that an all-party meeting be convened to express our unity and our opposition to the Karnataka Chief Minister’s remarks.
Furthermore, arrangements should be made for the resolutions passed at the all-party meeting, as well as the special government resolution unanimously passed in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in June against the Mekedatu dam, to be jointly presented to the Prime Minister in person by the leaders of legislative parties in Tamil Nadu and all-party Members of Parliament. In matters concerning the Cauvery rights, it is essential that we stand united, transcending personal likes and dislikes as well as party differences.
I hope the Tamil Nadu government will heed the demands of all political parties and the farming community and immediately announce an all-party meeting,” it was stated.
