MPs should quit if PM ignores TN panel: MK Stalin

Chennai: The DMK on Saturday suggested to Tamil Nadu chief minister K. Palaniswami that all MPs from the state should resign if Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not meet a proposed all-party delegation to press setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Board.

DMK working president M.K. Stalin, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, made the suggestion during a meeting with Mr Palaniswami held at the state secretariat here to discuss the Cauvery issue.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, he said Mr Palaniswami told him that Mr Modi had declined to meet the delegation, a claim denied by the state government.

Fisheries minister D. Jayakumar said “neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor Mr Modi have declined to meet the Tamil Nadu delegation”.

The chief minister had only said that the Centre had informed that the delegation could first meet the concerned minister and later the PM, he told reporters separately.

Mr Stalin said he told Mr Palaniswami that the assembly could be convened and a resolution adopted on the issue to step up pressure on the Centre on setting up the board, as directed by the Supreme Court in its recent order.

Besides, the DMK leader said he also mooted the idea that the chief minister should announce the convening of the assembly and also that all MPs of the ruling AIADMK and DMK from would resign if the Prime Minister failed to meet the delegation or immediately intervene in the Cauvery issue.

“They (government) said that this issue could be discussed when the assembly convenes,” Mr Stalin said.

An all-party meeting convened by the state government here on February 22 to discuss the Cauvery issue had decided that the chief minister would lead a delegation of leaders of all parties, farmers and MPs from the state to meet Mr Modi.

Mr Stalin also said the CM told him that they could wait till March 5 and if there was no communication, he assured that the House will be convened on March 8.

“Prime Minister declining to meet the delegation is an insult to Tamil Nadu,” he charged.