Chennai: Tamil Nadu political parties cut across party lines and in near unanimity took the Centre to task for its u-turn on Cauvery management Board, a decision that goes against Tamil Nadu interests and in favor of neighboring Karnataka.

Interestingly, for the two national parties, the Congress and the ruling BJP, its respective state units in these two states took stand opposed to their own party units on the other side. For example, the entire Karnataka BJP unit threw its lot behind chief minister S Siddaramaiah whereas in Tamil Nadu the BJP leaders decried the centre’s decision and hoped it would honor Supreme Court decisions in letter and spirit.

Tamil Nadu political parties, led by ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK, stood united against the Central government’s u-turn in the Supreme Court on forming the CMB as it was not duty bound to carry out the suggestion from Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal.

However, during a previous hearing on September 30, the central government submitted to the Apex Court that it had no objections to forming the CMB.

DMK President M.Karunanidhi in a statement said the BJP took this decision in view of the ensuing assembly elections in Karnataka and did a volte face in the court. Criticizing the central government for losing its objectivity, he said central government has belittled the orders of the Supreme Court and is against the people of Tamil Nadu.

Karunanidhi urged the Tamil Nadu government to call for an all-party meeting and also a special session of the state assembly to discuss the issue.

AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi too breathed fire against the central government and raised points similar to those raised by Karunanidhi in condemning the decision. Karnataka is wrong and it is wilfully disobeying Supreme Court orders. The centre too is now acting in a manner that is helping Karnataka, she said.

PMK founder S.Ramadoss also condemned central government’s new stand termed it as a big bane of the Indian political system for Tamil Nadu, which has been fighting for over a decade to get the CMB constituted. The central government’s stand that it needed parliament approval for constituting CMB was not acceptable.

How was Bakra Beas Management Board set up he asked. MDMK general secretary Vaiko too castigated Modi government for this u-turn.