CHENNAI: Left parties and VCK on Monday urged the State government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the next course of action after the Supreme Court dismissed Tamil Nadu’s review petition against the proposed Mekedatu dam project in Karnataka.
In separate statements, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam and CPI state secretary M Veerapandian stressed the need for a united political and legal response to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery waters.
Thirumavalavan said the Cauvery issue was a Statewide and emotionally sensitive matter concerning the people of Tamil Nadu and, therefore, all stakeholders should be consulted before any decision is taken. He said the State government’s stance should evolve after discussions with all parties represented in the Assembly.
He pointed out that the three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice had only dismissed Tamil Nadu’s review petition and that the Supreme Court’s November 2025 order had consequently come into force.
According to him, the Supreme Court had not granted permission for the construction of the Mekedatu dam, but had only permitted Karnataka to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Describing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s remarks on the issue as “political drama”, Thirumavalavan said there was no need for Tamil Nadu to panic over such statements. He added that Tamil Nadu’s immediate responsibility was to present its arguments and supporting evidence before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and prevent approval of Karnataka’s DPR.
CPM leader P Shanmugam described the verdict as detrimental to Tamil Nadu and contrary to the Supreme Court’s final judgment on the Cauvery issue. He urged the State government to file a curative petition before the Supreme Court to safeguard farming in the Cauvery Delta, the livelihoods of lakhs of farmers, and Tamil Nadu’s rights over the river waters.
Stating that Tamil Nadu faced the danger of losing its water rights, M Veerapandian urged the State government to immediately convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the next phase of political and legal action to prevent implementation of the Mekedatu project.
