Bengaluru, Jul 30 : The controversial Mekedatu reservoir project seems to be hotting up as the incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai scheduled to meet Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi on Saturday while a delegation of the JDS party is planning to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind over the issue.

“As of now, our party leaders have decided to meet the Prime Minister and the President under the leadership of respected Deve Gowda. We have sought a meeting with them,” former chief minister and senior JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy told reporters here outside Raj Bhavan on Thursday.

He had visited Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum to Governor Thawarchand Gehlot demanding clearance of the Mekedatu project and upper Krishna project, which is a bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the fight for constructing the dam at Mekedatu will intensify in the coming days. He alleged that the central government kept the project in cold project bowing to Tamil Nadu’s pressure even after the state had prepared a DPR for it.

Mr Bommai is already in Delhi and will be meeting Union Water Resources Minister to discuss the Mekedatu issue.

Earlier on July 12, Mr Bommai had said that the state government will push for the construction of the dam at Mekedatu as per law and the central government would have to give its nod in this regard.

In response, the Tamil Nadu leaders including DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged Modi not to allow the construction of Mekedatu dam.Also, Tamil Nadu Water Resource Durai Murugan said the state would take legal action to prevent Karnataka from constructing the dam.

A civil appeal filed by Tamil Nadu, seeking a restraint order on the proposal is pending before the Supreme Court.(UNI)