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Krishna braces for showdown on Cauvery row

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

A defiant Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna seems to be gearing up for a showdown with the Centre and the Supreme Court on the issue of the release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

At an informal meeting with Janata Dal leaders in Bangalore before the state Cabinet met, Krishna, it is learnt, had declared that he was even prepared to go to jail than release water to Tamil Nadu.

Krishna, according to sources, told the leaders that he would rather have his government 'dismissed' and face the consequences than allow Cauvery water to flow into Tamil Nadu. "I am ready for even a spell of President's rule if the Centre and the Supreme Court think that Karnataka was defying their authority by not releasing water," Krishna is believed to have told the JD-U leaders.

The state Janata Dal leaders, led by Byre Gowda and P G Sindhia had called on Krishna to actually discuss the hostage crisis, involving the abduction of former state minister and party colleague H Nagappa by forest brigand Veerappan, 40 days ago.

Krishna, who belongs to Mandya district, the heartland of the Cauvery river basin, cannot afford to antagonise farmers, who have taken to streets protesting against the Supreme Court's order.

Incidentally, the chief minister also hails from the farming community of Vokkaligas, who hold sway in the southern region of the state, where the Cauvery river criss-crosses.

"Krishna will face the wrath of the people, especially farmers if he releases water," said farmers' leader G Made Gowda, who is spearheading the agitation.

Cauvery Water Dispute: The Complete Coverage

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