Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and DMK’s working president M.K. Stalin has said that he was doubtful about the BJP-led Centre’s intention in constituting the Cauvery Management Board.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday in Chennai, Stalin wondered why Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami continued to remain silent even after the DMK had expressed its willingness to ask its MLAs to resign ‘en masse’ to put pressure on the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board at once.  “It’s the duty of the rulers to take things to the next level but it appears that they have forgotten it,” he said.

“DMK continues to make efforts in this regard and was denied appointment by the Prime Minister for a meeting.  This is not the first time that I had been denied an appointment to meet the Prime Minister.  When the chief-minister doesn’t seem to be getting an appointment to meet the Prime Minister, how could an opposition party leader get the appointment?

“Our chief-minister, unfortunately, is not as courageous as his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu who has severed ties with the BJP on issues related to his State,” he said.  Stalin also expressed skepticism about the Centre’s intention in setting up the Cauvery Management Board.  “Unless the AIADMK decides to ask its party MLAs to quit, things can’t move further,” Stalin remarked.