State seeks clarity on Krishna tribunal award

The Karnataka government will seek certain clarifications regarding award of the Krishna River Water Tribunal. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said certain clarifications were needed as the people of north Karnataka were apprehensive that the final award may be unfavourable to the region.

The CM who was in Hubli on Sunday, told Business Standard an all-party delegation had met senior counsel Fali Nariman at New Delhi and requested him to seek clarification from the tribunal. The CM was sour that the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders did not join the all party delegation. “It is an issue of life and death for the farmers of the Krishna basin. Neither H D Revanna nor H D Kumaraswamy joined the delegation. They might support the decision but the message would have been different if they too had joined it,” Yeddyurappa said.

He said Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former water resources minister H K Patil had stayed back in New Delhi, to finalise the application to be submitted before the Tribunal seeking clarification.

Referring to the crises haunting him incessantly, the CM said it had been written in his horoscope that he would be facing several ‘agniparikshas’ when in power. But, he expressed confidence he would pass through them unscathed.

“It is like winning a battle and I am confident of winning it again and again. I have faced several battles and have won including the one waged by the opposition. The forthcoming by-election will give answers to the questions raised by the opposition,” he said. The chief minister said, there was no dissidence in the party. “If at all there are minor differences, the opinions and feelings of those airing them will be taken note of,” he said.

Yeddyurappa said that on Monday, state BJP president K S Eshwarappa had convened a meeting of the partymen to chalk out the action plan for the coming byelection. “I am confident we will win all the three seats,” he said. Meanwhile, state BJP president K S Eshwarappa at the weekend chose to clarify he was not a leader of the dissidents.

Speaking to reporters at Hubli Airport on his way to Belgaum, Eshwarappa dismissed reports in a section of the media he was leading the dissidents.

“I have done what a party president should have done. When some partymen approached me with their grievances it was my duty to bring it to the notice of the party high command and the chief minister. I have just done my duty,” he said.

Eshwarappa said, for his work he was called the ‘dissidents’ leader’ by a section of the media. “How can it be a dissident activity if the partymen come to the party’s office and air their grievances,” he asked.

He said he was confident of sorting out the minor differences of opinions and the also addressing the grievances.