Cauvery water row: Hope floats, Karnataka CM to meet Modi today

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah plans to meet former judges and Chief Justices of the Karnataka High Court on Thursday to discuss the legal course of action the government should take on the Cauvery row, before leaving for Delhi to seek a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and plead the state’s case.

Also, afraid that things could take a turn for the worse again when the Cauvery Advisory Committee meets on September 19, he is likely  to meet Kannada activists in the days leading up to it and appeal to them to remain peaceful and cooperate with the government in resolving the dispute, according to well informed sources.

With the government’s image taking a battering owing to its handling of the Cauvery issue so far and the recent mayhem, he is going in for some damage control as well, they reveal.

Over the next few days he has  scheduled meetings with chief executive officers of major IT and BT companies in the city to reassure them about the government’s commitment to providing them a safe environment to operate in.

“The Chief Minister is likely to assure them that the government will protect their business interests and take care of their physical security.  He may also briefly explain the important issues related to the Cauvery crisis and stress the point that the state us fighting for its undeniable rights," said sources, adding that the meeting was intended to  send a message to the business community that the government was taking pro-active steps to maintain law and order and to protect its interests in Bengaluru.