📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Politics
PM Modi backs Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar’s Mekedatu dam push, fuels Congress rift
✍️ NDTV
🗓 14 Nov 2026, 10:16 PM
👁 25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accompanied Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar during a public rally advocating the controversial Mekedatu dam project, a move that has intensified a power struggle within the Congress party.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood beside Karnataka Water Resources minister DK Shivakumar at a rally that highlighted the state government's push for the Mekedatu dam on the Kaveri River. The event, organized by the ruling party in the state, showcased the central leadership's visible support for the long‑delayed inter‑state water project.
The Mekedatu dam, intended to store water for irrigation and drinking supplies, has been a flashpoint between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for years. Environmental groups and opposition parties have raised concerns over ecological impact and displacement, making the project politically sensitive.
Shivakumar's public appeal, reinforced by Modi's presence, sparked a sharp reaction within the Congress party. Senior Congress leaders, who have previously opposed the dam, accused the state leadership of sidelining party consensus, leading to an intra‑party clash that analysts say could affect upcoming electoral calculations.
While the central government has not announced any new policy shift, the rally underscored the strategic importance the Modi administration places on water security projects in the south, and it is likely to shape the narrative in both state and national political arenas.
The Mekedatu dam, intended to store water for irrigation and drinking supplies, has been a flashpoint between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for years. Environmental groups and opposition parties have raised concerns over ecological impact and displacement, making the project politically sensitive.
Shivakumar's public appeal, reinforced by Modi's presence, sparked a sharp reaction within the Congress party. Senior Congress leaders, who have previously opposed the dam, accused the state leadership of sidelining party consensus, leading to an intra‑party clash that analysts say could affect upcoming electoral calculations.
While the central government has not announced any new policy shift, the rally underscored the strategic importance the Modi administration places on water security projects in the south, and it is likely to shape the narrative in both state and national political arenas.