Sir — The interests of a State should always be kept uppermost in mind. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa does not require advice from anybody on this. This is illustrated by two incidents after the BJP-led NDA came to power in the 2014 lok Sabha election. First, she did not attend the oath-taking ceremony of Mr Narendra Modi in protest against the invite to Sri lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Second, she did not stand on false prestige but later met Mr Modi to present her demands for the State. While she has ruled out an alliance with the NDA, she has indicated her party’s support to the ruling combine in the Rajya Sabha election as quid pro quo to her demands being conceded.
Congress MPs took no initiative at all to prevail upon the Prime Minister to do justice to Karnataka. BJP MPs from Karnataka should not do the same as the Congress MPs did. They should prevail upon the Prime Minister to do justice to the State. The Prime Minister is aware that Karnataka is the gateway of the BJP to South India.
Karnataka MPs should cut across party lines and work unitedly to see that the neighbouring State does not take away Karnataka’s share of water. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should meet the Prime Minister and counter any move by Ms Jayalalithaa against the interests of Karnataka in the river water dispute.