DMK chief Stalin alleges CM Vijay stands 'isolated' in TN on Cauvery issue

CHENNAI: DMK President MK Stalin on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay stood "isolated" in Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery issue as he tried visiting Karnataka despite opposition to the proposed trip.

The former chief minister also demanded to know if Vijay would convene or not an all-party meeting on the issue and asked Vijay to consult stakeholders within the state.

In a statement, Stalin said leaders of parties and farmers' associations in Tamil Nadu warned that holding talks with Karnataka on the Mekedatu issue would yield no results and requested Vijay to not visit Karnataka.

The Dravidian party chief with sarcasm said that ignoring warnings, the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu sent emissaries to visit Karnataka perhaps thinking that he could bring the Cauvery river back with him

Alleging that Karnataka viewed Tamil Nadu merely as a region to absorb surplus water from Cauvery river, the former chief minister said the state had learned from past experience that legal recourse was the only way to deal with its neighbour which flatly refused to release water.

As soon as the Cauvery Water Management Authority ordered the release of water to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka closed its gate telling Vijay that he need not visit them now.

Anticipating such situations beforehand, everyone in Tamil Nadu warned him.

At least from now onwards, the chief minister must approach the Cauvery issue, the lifeline of Tamil Nadu and a high-stakes issue, by holding consultations.

"After telling our chief minister not to come, the CM of Karnataka (DK Shivakumar) convened an all-party meeting on August 2, demonstrating through his actions that they are all united," Stalin said and demanded to know from CM Vijay when he was going to convene an all-party meeting. "Can you do it or not," he asked.

"By trying to do a solo act, CM stands isolated," Stalin said.

On July 31, 2026, DMK's official organ "Murasoli," in an editorial criticised Vijay alleging he intended to hold talks with Karnataka merely to claim that he had done something on the Cauvery issue.

Vijay's trip to Karnataka might be useful for shooting a video in front of a dam. However, it would never bring dawn to the farming community, the daily claimed.

Karnataka is ruled by the Congress party and the TVK regime in Tamil Nadu hinges on the grand old party's support and hence, the Vijay government cannot openly oppose the Congress government in the neighbouring state.

Against this background, the DMK daily alleged that joint maneuvers of talks by TVK and the Congress regimes are attempts to deceive the people and farmers of Tamil Nadu.

Murasoli claimed that Vijay government lacked courage to either oppose the BJP government at the Centre and or to question the Congress party in the neighbouring state.

Karnataka has consistently defied the diktats of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Cauvery Water Management Authority, regardless of whether Congress or the BJP is in power, the Tamil daily claimed.

"The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister must refrain from holding talks with Karnataka in a manner that compromises Tamil Nadu's rights."

Tamil Nadu's rights over the Cauvery River have already been legally established and should not be bartered away, Murasoli said.