CHENNAI: TNCC president B Manickam Tagore on Wednesday challenged Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran to obtain an assurance from the Karnataka BJP leadership that it would not press for the construction of the proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery River, reiterating the Congress party’s opposition to the project.

Accusing the BJP-led Union government of fuelling tensions between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Mekedatu issue, Tagore said the Centre had failed in its responsibility to resolve inter state river disputes amicably.

Responding to Nagendran’s criticism of the Congress stand, Tagore said both Congress and BJP governments in Karnataka had backed the Mekedatu project, but argued that the BJP could not distance itself from the issue as its former chief ministers, including BS Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, had openly supported the dam.

He maintained that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court had made it clear that no dam could be constructed across the Cauvery without Tamil Nadu’s consent. Despite this, he alleged, the Union government had allowed Karnataka to proceed with the project detailed report thereby encouraging a dispute between the two States.

Tagore said Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were not in positions to take executive decisions on the matter, unlike the BJP led government at the Centre. He asserted that the TNCC remained firmly opposed to the Mekedatu project and was prepared to undertake any form of democratic protest to prevent its implementation.

The TNCC chief also chellanged the Tamil Nadu BJP leadership, asking whether Nagendran could secure a commitment from Karnataka BJP leaders that they would not pursue the dam project, which Tamil Nadu fears could affect its share of Cauvery water.