DMK moves SC, seeks immediate Cauvery water release by Karnataka

On August 2, 2026, Tamil Nadu Minister for Law and Energy Resources R. Nirmalkumar made an assertion that Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin's family had a relationship that extended beyond politics. Nirmalkumar claimed that Shivakumar desired the DMK to regain power, and the Karnataka Chief Minister would listen to the DMK leader’s family rather than Congress leadership.

Addressing journalists at Chennai Airport, Nirmalkumar vehemently rejected Stalin's claim that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had become isolated while trying to tackle the Cauvery issue alone. Nirmalkumar alleged that the DMK was essentially echoing Shivakumar's sentiments, while Shivakumar was articulating what the DMK wanted to convey.

This statement came on the heels of Nirmalkumar's announcement that the Tamil Nadu government would file a petition in the Supreme Court on August 3, 2026, to protect the state's rights in the Cauvery issue. According to Nirmalkumar, when J. Jayalalithaa was Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, former DMK president M. Karunanidhi had pressured Karnataka not to release Cauvery water, claiming it would garner praise for her.

Following multiple rounds of Cauvery issue discussions, Vijay had opted to file a petition in the Supreme Court, and Nirmalkumar alleged that the DMK had hastily filed a separate petition.

Nirmalkumar questioned why multiple petitions had been filed on behalf of the same State before the Supreme Court, arguing that such a practice would create confusion and jeopardize the state's rights. He also criticized the AIADMK, led by Jayalalithaa, for following the advice of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Nirmalkumar claimed that Vijay had made efforts to find an amicable resolution to the Cauvery issue, but alleged that the DMK, in alliance with Shivakumar, had been consistently obstructive.