Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Sunday, 2 August wrote an open letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, appealing for a cooperative approach on the long-standing Cauvery River dispute and calling for Tamil Nadu's support for the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. The letter comes ahead of a reported visit by Joseph Vijay to Bengaluru for talks with Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the water-sharing row.

The Mekedatu Appeal

Vijayendra urged Joseph Vijay to view the Mekedatu project not as a threat but as a symbol of inter-state goodwill. He argued that the balancing reservoir could substantially address Bengaluru's drinking water needs without encroaching on Tamil Nadu's legally recognised share of Cauvery waters. Endorsing the project, he said, would send a powerful signal of bilateral cooperation between the two states.

Historic Ties and People-to-People Bonds

The Karnataka BJP chief invoked centuries of shared history, culture, and trade between the two states, describing them as 'brother states' built on mutual respect. He noted that millions of Tamils have settled in Karnataka — particularly in Bengaluru — and contributed significantly to its economic growth, while Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu have similarly contributed to that state's prosperity. This interdependence, he said, reflects a people-to-people relationship that goes well beyond administrative boundaries.

Vijayendra also recalled the resolution of the long-pending Thiruvalluvar statue installation in Bengaluru as a precedent for statesmanship. That dispute, he noted, was ultimately settled through the leadership of former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the magnanimity of the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi — demonstrating, in his words, that even difficult issues yield when the larger interests of the people prevail.

Farmers and Citizens Under Pressure

Describing the Cauvery as the lifeline of Bengaluru and several towns along its basin, Vijayendra stressed that millions of people — Kannadigas and Tamils alike residing in Karnataka — depend on the river for drinking water. With an uncertain monsoon already placing immense pressure on farmers and urban residents, he said their concerns cannot be sidelined in any bilateral negotiations.

He appealed to Joseph Vijay to approach the upcoming talks with empathy for Karnataka's farmers and citizens, while also protecting Tamil Nadu's legitimate interests — framing such a balanced stance as the path most likely to strengthen the historic relationship between the two neighbouring states.

Vijayendra's Closing Message

Vijayendra concluded his open letter with a direct appeal: 'Let the Cauvery unite our people rather than divide them.' The letter signals that the BJP in Karnataka intends to keep the Mekedatu project and the broader Cauvery question in the political spotlight ahead of what could be a high-stakes inter-state meeting between the two Chief Ministers.