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Mahadayi water dispute: Farmers submit memorandum to Karnataka governor

BENGALURU: The BJP’s promise of resolving the Mahadayi river dispute has boomeranged as angry farmers from Navalgund and other parts of north Karnataka booed state party chief BS Yeddyurappa off their protest site opposite the BJP head office on Tuesday.Farmers will now appeal to the governor and the chief minister and seek the intervention of the President. Last week, the BJP claimed to have made a breakthrough, with Goa CM Manohar Parrikar writing to Yeddyurappa, agreeing to talks to consider Karnataka’s demand for a reasonable amount of water from the river to meet its drinking water needs. The BJP expected to ride the wave ahead of the 2018 assembly elections, but seems to have lost the plot to rivals Congress and JD(S) with the latter openly backing the protesting farmers.Yeddyurappa was forced to go to the protest site on Tuesday, four days after the farmers began their agitation in front of the BJP office. The former CM’s bid to pacify the agitators, however, turned into an embarrassment for the party as the farmers rejected Yeddyurappa’s explanations on Parrikar writing to him, instead of the Karnataka government.“Yeddyurappa failed to convince us of his efforts to resolve the Mahadayi dispute. He conveyed to us that he is incapable of resolving it in future. He could not convince us on basic questions like why the Goa CM broke protocol and wrote to him,” said Shankar Ambali, Raitha Sena secretary.Booed off the protest site, Yeddyurappa told reporters at the BJP head office that he and BJP had done all they could and it was up to the state government to resolve the issue. “We have done our part and convinced Parrikar to give us in writing that he is ready to resolve the issue. Now, it is up to the Congress and state government to take it forward. But the Congress is interested in politicising the issue and CM Siddaramaiah is the villain,” alleged Yeddyurappa.He appealed to farmers to withdraw their agitation and join hands with BJP to protest against Congress “politicking”. “Siddaramaiah has instigated the Goa Congress to oppose Parrikar’s proposal in that state. The Goa Congress chief has released a statement that on January 6, the party will start a mega rally. On the one hand, Siddaramaiah has written to Parrikar to hold talks, on the other he is instigating Goa Congress to oppose it,” claimed Yeddyurappa.The farmers announced they would go on a padayatra to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Vajubhai Vala and submit a memorandum seeking the intervention of the President in the matter. “Some of us will meet former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to ask him about his role and intervention in the Mahadayi issue. We will meet Siddaramaiah and ask him to come to our rescue and find out the government’s step,” said Ambali.