After Cauvery Outreach, TVK Minister Targets Karnataka CM: 'He Listens Only to Stalin, Not Congress Leadership'

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) general secretary Nirmal Kumar has accused Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of responding to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's proposed Cauvery talks only after DMK chief M.K. Stalin criticised the initiative, saying the Congress leader "listens only to Stalin, not the Congress leadership."

Nirmal Kumar alleged that Shivakumar ignored requests from leaders within the Congress to engage with Vijay but sought the postponement of the proposed Bengaluru meeting after Stalin publicly opposed the talks, according to The Indian Express. He said the episode showed that Shivakumar was more responsive to the DMK leader than to his own party colleagues.

The remarks come days after Shivakumar requested Vijay to defer his proposed visit to Bengaluru, citing heightened tensions in Karnataka over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute. The postponement followed protests across Karnataka against the release of water to Tamil Nadu. Demonstrations intensified in several parts of the state, with farmers' groups and pro-Kannada organisations opposing additional releases from the Cauvery basin.

Political Row Over Vijay's Outreach

Vijay's decision to seek direct talks with the Karnataka government marked a departure from Tamil Nadu's long-standing approach of relying on legal mechanisms and the Cauvery Water Management Authority to resolve the dispute.

The move drew criticism from Stalin, who argued that the Chief Minister should not pursue bilateral talks with Karnataka without consulting political parties and farmers' organisations in Tamil Nadu. Stalin said Vijay had become "isolated" on the issue and urged him to adhere to the state's established position. At the same time, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami called for an all-party meeting to formulate a united response to the Cauvery dispute.

Legal Battle Continues

The political exchanges come as the dispute has returned to the courts. The DMK has approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent directions for Karnataka to release Cauvery water, arguing that the state has failed to comply with its obligations under the existing water-sharing framework.

The petition comes amid continuing protests in Karnataka and growing concern in Tamil Nadu over water availability for cultivation, keeping the decades-old inter-state river dispute at the centre of both legal and political debate.