Chennai : Slowly leaders from South India are raking up the issue of injustice to South Indian states in allocations from the central government. After Karnataka chief minister S Siddharamaiah and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu questioned what they describe as partial treatment to progressive states and economically developed ones, DMK working president MK Stalin nodded his support for the idea of Dravida Nadu, if a proposal like that come about.

Apparent injustice – if the experience of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery issue in recent years and also neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on the special category status and Karnataka CM’s assertion that state gets only 0.43 paise out of every one Rupee it contributed where as states like Uttar Pradesh get Rs 1.87. In terms of contribution in assortment of taxes, the southern states contribute more and get less in return is the perception that is being felt across the states in the southern regions.

Stalin has on Friday told media persons in Erode that he would welcome if a situation arose for the southern states to come together and made a demand for Dravida Nadu. Responding to a question as to his response to an idea that was gaining ground that southern states should come together to demand Dravida Nadu, Stalin said “If it (such a situation) comes, it would be welcome. We hope that such a situation arises.”

It is for the centre to counter this narrative being set up by the regional parties in south India, that also included the Congress at the Karnataka level.

On Saturday, Stalin also extended his party’s support, in principle, to Telugu Desam party’s no-confidence motion and suggested that AIADMK too should extend support to the motion. In fact, AIADMK should utilise the opportunity to establish its right for Cauvery water by declaring it would support no-trust motion of TDP against the BJP led central government.

In a statement issued here Stalin said that had the DMK been in Lok Sabha, it would have announced support to no-trust motion.

Stalin said CM Edapaddi Palansiwami should announce that AIADMK would support the no-trust motion and apply pressure for setting up of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC). Stalin alleged that the central government was delaying setting up CMB was only to help the BJP in its poll prospects.

Out of the total 39 Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK has 37 members, BJP and PMK have one each.

Stalin said the Supreme Court on Feb 16, 2018 had ordered the central government to set up CMB and CWRC within six weeks of its order. The central government is delaying the matter, the DMK leader alleged.

The prime minister is also not willing to meet representatives of political parties on the Cauvery issue.

On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution urging the central government to set up CMB and CWRC as per the SC order.