Chennai, August 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has postponed his proposed August 3 visit to Bengaluru following a request from Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, as tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute continue to escalate.
The meeting, which was expected to be the first direct interaction between the two Chief Ministers on the long-standing Cauvery issue, has been deferred after Karnataka indicated that the prevailing political and public atmosphere was not conducive for bilateral discussions.
The development comes in the wake of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) directive asking Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days beginning July 29. The order triggered widespread protests across Karnataka, prompting the state government to seek postponement of the scheduled talks.
Before taking a decision, Chief Minister Vijay held consultations with senior officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department to assess the situation and its possible implications. During these discussions, Karnataka conveyed its inability to proceed with the meeting under the current circumstances, sources said.
The proposed dialogue had been initiated at Vijay’s request, with Karnataka earlier expressing willingness to discuss key inter-state issues, including the implementation of the Cauvery water-sharing mechanism and the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
However, tensions intensified after the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) declined Karnataka’s request to stay the CWRC’s direction on water release.
The dispute has sparked protests, particularly in Karnataka’s Mandya region. According to reports, protesters tore posters of Vijay’s recently released film Jana Nayagan and disrupted screenings at some theatres.
Although the Tamil Nadu government has not formally announced the postponement, sources indicated that a fresh date for the meeting would be considered after the situation in Karnataka stabilises.
The proposed talks had also drawn criticism from several Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including the DMK, AIADMK, PMK, AMMK and Left parties, which opposed holding bilateral discussions amid the ongoing dispute.
Tamil Nadu has consistently maintained its opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu reservoir project, arguing that it could adversely impact the state’s legitimate share of Cauvery river water.
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