"Only Narendra Modi, Set To Be PM Again, Can Solve Cauvery Issue": Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Saturday lamented that injustice has been meted out to Karnataka and only Narendra Modi, "who is set to become Prime Minister again" can solve the Cauvery water problem.

The 90-year-old Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch vowed that he will fight for the Cauvery cause till his last breath.

At a press conference at the JD(S) party office here, he said only PM Modi has the power to solve the Cauvery water crisis which Karnataka is facing.

"Only Narendra Modi, who is set to become Prime Minister again, can solve the Cauvery problem," the JD(S) chief said.

Mr Gowda said every year Tamil Nadu submits an application to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for the release of Cauvery water.

"Even if we (Karnataka) don't have water, they (CWMA) say give water. No matter what our officials argued, it was of no avail," he said.

He expressed deep regret that the CWMA has never visited Karnataka to see how much water is available in Cauvery reservoirs.

"Cauvery problem has a solution. We should fight together to make Prime Minister Modi aware of the injustice done to us. There should be no politics in this. Political parties should fight together for this cause," Mr Gowda appealed to all the political parties.

"I will be in the Rajya Sabha for another two and a half years. I will fight for the Cauvery cause till my last breath. I will not sit calm till the people of the state get justice," he added.

The former prime minister said he would be going to Delhi on February 1 to attend the Rajya Sabha session where he will raise the Cauvery issue in Parliament.

"I will request Prime Minister Modi to intervene in the Cauvery issue," Gowda said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)