Bengaluru, July 3 : Senior BJP leader and Karnataka Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka on Friday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, accusing him of remaining silent after the Tamil Nadu Congress leadership opposed the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.

In a statement, Ashoka alleged that Shivakumar had undertaken the Mekedatu padayatra before the Assembly elections only to gain political mileage and has now abandoned the issue due to political compulsions.

"Before the elections, you staged a political drama in the form of the Mekedatu padayatra to come to power. Why have you now chosen silence?" Ashoka questioned Shivakumar.

Referring to the recent remarks by the Tamil Nadu Congress leadership that it would not allow "even a single brick" to be laid for the Mekedatu project, the BJP leader challenged Shivakumar to respond firmly.

"If you have the courage, conviction and genuine concern for Kannadigas, undertake a padayatra to Chennai and stage a hunger strike in front of the Tamil Nadu Congress office. Prove your political commitment," he said.

Ashoka alleged that the Chief Minister was reluctant to confront the Tamil Nadu Congress because of the Congress party's alliance politics and the directions of the party high command.

"Have the orders of the Delhi high command and alliance politics in Tamil Nadu become more important than the rights of Karnataka's farmers in the Cauvery basin and the drinking water needs of millions of Bengaluru residents?" he questioned.

Claiming that the state government lacked the political will to implement the Mekedatu project, Ashoka alleged that the Congress party had used the issue merely as an election campaign tool.

"The government has no intention of implementing the Mekedatu project. It used the issue only as an election gimmick and is now afraid to even condemn the arrogant remarks made by the Tamil Nadu Congress," he alleged.

Ashoka further accused the Congress government of betraying the people of Karnataka and asserted that the electorate would give it a fitting response for what he termed its "breach of trust" over the Mekedatu issue.

In a significant development in the long-pending Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project, CM Shivakumar had said he was prepared to hold discussions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at any time and urged both states to keep politics aside while considering the interests of their people.

"I am ready to talk to Tamil Nadu at any point regarding the Mekedatu project. I have no reservations in this regard. Whether it is Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, we are one nation and one people. We all depend on the waters of the same river. Water is needed for irrigation, drinking purposes and industrial use," said CM Shivakumar.

The Mekedatu reservoir row centres on Karnataka's proposal to build a balancing reservoir and drinking water project across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu in Bengaluru South district.

Karnataka argues that the project is essential to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas, as well as to generate about 400 MW of hydropower, while maintaining that it will not violate the state's allocated share of Cauvery water.

Tamil Nadu strongly opposes the project, contending that any reservoir upstream could affect the flow of water to its farmers in the Cauvery delta and undermine the implementation of the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

The project has remained stalled as it requires environmental, forest and other statutory clearances from the Centre, while Tamil Nadu has repeatedly urged the Union government not to approve.

/IANS