Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday, 27 May launched a pointed attack on both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leadership over their perceived silence on the Mekedatu dam controversy, questioning why senior opposition figures had failed to forcefully challenge Karnataka's proposed reservoir project across the Cauvery River. The Congress leader's remarks came in full support of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the immediate rejection of the project.

Tagore's Broadside Against DMK and AIADMK

In a post on his X page, Tagore questioned why Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin had stayed silent despite the gravity of the Mekedatu issue. He contrasted this with Chief Minister Vijay's direct intervention, arguing that the Tamil Nadu government had taken a firm and principled stand while opposition leaders remained on the sidelines.

Tagore also trained his fire on AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, asking why Palaniswami and the party's top brass were not directly confronting the Union government — the body with the authority to approve or reject the project. The Congress MP's dual attack underscores a rare moment where the ruling party in Tamil Nadu and the Congress find themselves aligned on a state-interest issue.

What CM Vijay's Letter Argues

According to Tagore, Chief Minister Vijay's letter to the Prime Minister makes a two-pronged legal case: that the Mekedatu project violates the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment on Cauvery water sharing, and that it contravenes the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. Tagore warned that the reservoir, if built, would reduce Tamil Nadu's rightful allocation of Cauvery water and directly harm lakhs of farmers dependent on the river.

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi must immediately reject the Mekedatu proposal and protect Tamil Nadu's rightful share of Cauvery water,' Tagore said. He added: 'This is not a political issue. This is about our water, our farmers and Tamil Nadu's rights. No project should come up across the Cauvery without Tamil Nadu's consent.'

Why Tensions Have Escalated Now

The Mekedatu row has reignited after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar recently reiterated that the Congress government in Karnataka intends to proceed with the long-pending dam project and conduct a 'Bhoomi Pooja' for the proposed structure. The statement has sharpened inter-state friction at a time when both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are governed by the Congress's alliance partners, creating an awkward intra-party dynamic at the national level.

Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed any upstream construction on the Cauvery, arguing that the existing water-sharing framework — settled through decades of legal proceedings and upheld by the Supreme Court — must not be disturbed. Critics argue that any new reservoir upstream could reduce downstream flow during critical agricultural seasons.

What Happens Next

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and senior Congress leaders in New Delhi on Wednesday, with the Mekedatu issue likely to feature prominently in those discussions. How the Centre responds — and whether the national Congress leadership can broker a position acceptable to both state units — will determine the next phase of this dispute.