Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the release of irrigation water to the state from Cauvery river and Mullaperiyar dam.
Jayalalithaa met Modi in New Delhi for 50 minutes, and submitted a memorandum of requisitions to the PM. After the meeting, when media asked her about her party AIADMK's support to the NDA government, she was non-committal. The TN CM said that when the need arises it will be given a thought.
Jayalalithaa said that Modi promised to do all needful for the state. Modi was a CM for 10 years and understands the problems of a state, she added.
This was Jayalalithaa's first meeting with Modi, after he sworn in as the Prime Minister last week. The TN Chief Minister had skipped Modi's anointment, citing the NDA government's invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Jayalalithaa and TN political parties have always accused Rajapaksa of war crimes against Tamils in the island nation.
It was reported that the NDA government has been expecting AIADMK to join the government, to enable it to get majority in Rajya Sabha. Currently, the NDA government at the Centre is a minority in Rajya Sabha, though it has ample majority in Lok Sabha.
AIADMK has 37 MPs in Lok Sabha and 10 MPs in Rajya Sabha. Majority in Rajya Sabha is necessary for the NDA government to pass bills. The government needs the support of 123 members to pass bills in Rajya Sabha.
The Tamil Nadu CM, who is understood to have a good rapport with Modi, said that the Prime Minister was very receptive and listened to the issues. She described the meeting with Modi as resourceful and rewarding.
The pre-scheduled meeting was postponed due to the death of senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde as Modi had to visit BJP headquarters to pay homage to the departed leader.
According to a press release by the Tamil Nadu government, Jayalalithaa submitted the memorandum, containing issues relating to the inter-state river water-sharing including the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar dam.
Other issues Jayalalithaa has put forth the Prime Minister are: Sri Lankan Tamils, restoration of traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen, grant of the digital addressable system license for the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation, power, urban infrastructure and metro rail, transport and industrial infrastructure, modernisation of police force and declaration of Tamil as an official language.
