M.K. Stalin urges Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to abandon talks with Karnataka

DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday (July 25, 2026) urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to abandon his “misguided decision” to visit Karnataka for talks with its government on Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery waters.

“If Karnataka refuses to release water to Tamil Nadu, it amounts to contempt of court. Its proposal to construct a dam at Mekedatu is in violation of the Supreme Court’s final verdict. Before taking any further steps on an issue as vital as the Cauvery dispute, the Chief Minister should consult all political parties and representatives of farmers’ associations,” Mr. Stalin said in a statement.

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He said the struggle to secure Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery had a long history and that those rights had been firmly established through the legal process.

“The Chief Minister should understand the breadth and depth of the issue before proceeding further on such an initiative,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said there were doubts over whether the proposed talks were merely an eyewash, as the Congress was in power in Karnataka and was also a constituent of the ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu.

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“The visit will serve no purpose other than enabling the government to claim that it made a direct effort by travelling to Karnataka for talks,” he said.

Mr. Stalin questioned why the Chief Minister had “fallen into Karnataka’s trap,” charging that its objective was to dilute Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery waters.

“Delta farmers are furious over the Chief Minister’s decision to hold talks,” he added.

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Recalling the DMK government’s earlier stand, Mr. Stalin said it had rejected suggestions to hold direct talks with Karnataka because the neighbouring State had repeatedly failed to honour its commitments and would only prolong the dispute.

“The proposal to construct the Mekedatu dam itself amounts to rejecting Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery. It has always been our stand that there is no purpose in holding talks with Karnataka on this issue,” he said.