BJP leader clarifies on delay in constituting CMB

BJP National Secretary H Raja today said the Centre had sought more time in the Supreme Court over the Cauvery Management Board in view of delay by governments of Kerala and Karnataka to nominate their members.

Speaking to reporters here, he said that the delay in constituting the CMB was not due to the coming assembly elections in Karnataka.

Raja said that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the board should comprise nine members, of which five will be from the Water Resources Ministry and one each from the riparian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry.

However, there was a delay by Kerala and Karnataka in nominating their members, which resulted in the centre seeking further time of two weeks, the BJP leader said.

The Supreme Court today agreed to next week hear the Centre's plea seeking two more weeks to finalise the draft Cauvery management scheme, saying discussions were being held at various levels, including the political executives.

The Centre said the formalisation of a draft scheme was at an advanced stage and was likely to take approximately two more weeks to enable the government place the draft scheme before the court.

On April 9, the Court had asked the Centre to frame a draft scheme and file it by May 3 for implementation of its judgement on distribution of water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other states.

On corruption, Raja said BJP was fighting corruption across the country and alleged that the Karnataka government was 'totally immersed' in it and the people would look into it (during the polls).

Raja said nobody had been arrested so far in connection with the petrol bomb attack on BJP's district functionary C R Nandakumar and the bomb attack on party office some time ago and added that it was an indication of increasing violence against the party.

"It has now now become a fashion to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP and also Hindus," Raja said.