CHENNAI — SM Hidayathullah, Vice President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, endorsed Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s decision to pursue legal action against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu Reservoir Project on May 26, 2026. Hidayathullah met with the Chief Minister the same day and voiced support for the move.

"Our CM stated that the government would take legal action against it. It is the only solution," Hidayathullah said. "The central government is also against it, so we thank them as well. There should be no dam across the river. I welcome the CM's decision," he said.

Chief Minister Vijay has alleged that Karnataka’s Mekedatu project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award and Supreme Court orders. The Tamil Nadu government maintains the project was never approved under the CWDT Final Award, which the Supreme Court upheld on February 16, 2018. Vijay recently appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and halt Karnataka’s plans, citing concern over the state’s announcement of a 'Bhoomi Puja' ceremony for the reservoir.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change previously declined to issue Terms of Reference for an Environmental Impact Assessment due to unresolved inter-state disputes. Tamil Nadu has also criticized the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Water Commission for entertaining Karnataka’s proposal despite its objections. The Cauvery basin, categorized as water-deficient, has its available water fully allocated among the riparian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.