Speaking to reporters after visiting Srinivasa Solid Waste Management unit in Chennai, he said, "Good rains have saved us this year. The Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu more. But I don't want to talk about it now."
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko accused the central government of being "partial to Karnataka" regarding the Mekedatu dam issue.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Mekedatu project is a must for providing drinking water to Bangalore and Soumya Reddy has to win if we want to get permission for Mekedatu from the Centre.
Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that there was a delay in providing drought relief to Karnataka and it was not intentional because the Union government had to seek permission from the Election Commission.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP's candidate from Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha constituency, Basavaraj Bommai, accused the ruling Congress party on Friday of 'double standards' regarding the Mekedatu Dam issue.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday alleged that the BJP was resorting to propaganda to put the state government in a bad light while urging the latter to get approval from the central government for the Mekedatu Dam project.
Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan gave strong assurance in assembly on Thursday that not even a brick can be laid for Mekedatu dam without the state's consent.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar asserted on Wednesday that the long-anticipated Mekedatu project would be completed during the current tenure of the Congress government.
"Our Cauvery rights are being undermined under this government. If Mekedatu Dam is built, Tamil Nadu will become a desert. Stalin has not yet condemned the Karnataka government for allocating funds in the budget for the construction of the Mekedatu Dam," Udhayakumar said.
Amid the Cauvery-water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the centre government has not given permission for Mekedatu Project and Tamil Nadu people are creating disputes 'unnecessarily'.
"The only solution is the Mekedatu project. We will request the authorities to visit the sites in Karnataka and see the problems being faced by the state," Shivkumar told ANI.