Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has backed the Karnataka government’s position on the Mekedatu project but said the state government must approach the Union government directly for the necessary approval, reopening a political dispute over responsibility for advancing the proposed water infrastructure project.
Speaking to reporters at Hunasanahalli in Ramanagara district on Sunday, Kumaraswamy responded to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s reported call for him to secure approval for Mekedatu. Kumaraswamy said the state government, which is responsible for running the administration, should meet the Union government and seek permission for the project.
“We are in favour of the Mekedatu project. But those running the government should meet the Centre and seek approval,” Kumaraswamy said, according to Prajavani. He added that he was only one minister in the Union government, indicating that the project’s advancement could not be treated as the responsibility of a single minister.
Kumaraswamy also said his party would take a position on the project when necessary. He supported the state government’s reported proposal to announce funding in the next budget and perform the foundation-laying ceremony for the dam. The statement signals political support for the project’s continuation, but it does not amount to an approval or clearance from the Union government.
The exchange places the Mekedatu project within a wider question of institutional responsibility. The state government has said it intends to allocate funds and begin work, while Kumaraswamy has argued that the government must first pursue the required approval through the Centre. The report does not specify which statutory or administrative clearances remain pending, nor does it provide a construction schedule, estimated cost or implementation plan.
The project has long been linked to Karnataka’s broader water and irrigation politics. In his remarks, Kumaraswamy referred to the involvement of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda in irrigation issues, including the Cauvery dispute, over the past five decades. He described Deve Gowda as having extensive knowledge of the subject and said his party had consistently supported the state’s interests on irrigation projects.
Kumaraswamy’s comments came during discussions with reporters about an upcoming by-election and a possible understanding between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said the two parties would discuss whether a JD(S) or BJP candidate should contest after considering local public opinion and expectations. He also said the result would indicate the political future of the alliance, while maintaining that the election was not a matter of personal prestige for him.
For the Mekedatu project, the immediate outcome is a reaffirmation of political support rather than a new administrative decision. The next stated steps are the Karnataka government’s proposed budget allocation and its plan to approach the Union government for permission. No approval date or construction commencement date was announced in the report.
