‘Ready to face insults’: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay amid face-off with Udhayanidhi over Cauvery dispute

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay, expressed his willingness to endure insults in order to initiate talks with Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute on Friday during a speech in the Tamil Nadu assembly. The chief minister emphasized that his government has always maintained that legal solutions are the best course of action to resolve the issue, but he also acknowledged the possibility of engaging in dialogue with Karnataka.

Vijay stated that he had contemplated visiting Karnataka to discuss the matter, drawing a parallel between regional governments and nations in conflict that still engage in dialogue to find a resolution. In response to the opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, who raised the Cauvery issue, Vijay reiterated his government's stance on legal remedies and dismissed the need for an all-party meeting regarding Karnataka's proposal to build the Mekedatu Dam on the Cauvery River.

The Cauvery dispute, a long-standing disagreement over water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, resurfaced due to Karnataka's Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. The project has been a major point of contention, with Tamil Nadu opposing it due to fears it could diminish the water flow reaching the downstream areas. Karnataka's CM, DK Shivakumar, defended the project, claiming that Tamil Nadu would reap most of its benefits.