A series of questions on the Mahadayi dispute forced BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra to wind up his press conference in Hubballi on Thursday. Addressing presspersons here along with Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar, Mr. Sambit Patra said that it was UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who had backstabbed the people of Karnataka by saying that her party would not allow Mahadayi water to be diverted to Karnataka.
“However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured the people that the party would resolve the issue through dialogue after the BJP comes to power in Karnataka,” he said.
But when asked whether Mr. Modi, who blamed the Congress for playing politics over Mahadayi, was not too doing the same thing now, Mr. Patra just said that the Prime Minister would resolve the issue.
When presspersons asked him why did Mr. Modi not say anything on the issue despite the three years of agitation and all-party delegations that were taken to the Centre except giving the assurance during the election rally, Mr. Patra just said that the BJP would resolve it after coming to power.
When a few more questions followed on the issue, Mr. Patra wound up the press conference saying that he would answer the queries on one-on-one basis and left the BJP media centre immediately.