Bengaluru, July 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Amid escalating tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said he has requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to postpone his proposed visit to Bengaluru on August 3, saying the meeting should be held only in a peaceful and cordial atmosphere.
Addressing a joint press conference at Vidhana Soudha alongside Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwara and Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Shivakumar said he had personally spoken to his Tamil Nadu counterpart and urged him to defer the visit in view of the prevailing situation in Karnataka.
According to Shivakumar, Joseph Vijay had planned to visit Bengaluru with a delegation of five to six ministers. However, the Karnataka Chief Minister said he was concerned that protests or slogan-shouting during the visit could undermine efforts to foster constructive dialogue between the two states.
“We are peace-loving people. When a guest comes from another state, we should welcome him with harmony. I have therefore requested the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to postpone his visit. After the all-party meeting on Sunday, we will decide the future course of action and fix another date for our meeting,” Shivakumar said.
He added that the decision was taken after consultations with Cabinet colleagues and expressed hope that improving rainfall and rising reservoir inflows in Karnataka would create a more favourable environment for discussions on the long-standing Cauvery issue.
Shivakumar noted that he had earlier sought a meeting with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, but it did not materialise. Following the change in government in Tamil Nadu, Joseph Vijay had expressed willingness to visit Bengaluru for discussions.
The Karnataka Chief Minister also said preparations had been made to receive the Tamil Nadu delegation, although the agenda for the proposed meeting had not yet been shared.
Reiterating Karnataka’s position on the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, Shivakumar said the project would benefit both states, particularly Tamil Nadu, as it is intended for drinking water supply and hydroelectric power generation rather than irrigation.
He further affirmed Karnataka’s commitment to complying with the Supreme Court’s Cauvery water-sharing verdict, including the allocation of 177.25 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu. At the same time, he stressed that the distress-sharing formula should take into account prevailing conditions such as rainfall deficiency and available water resources.
Shivakumar said the state would continue to work towards a solution that safeguards the interests of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu while maintaining peace and cooperative federalism.
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