Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna began his controversial "padayatra" from Bangalore on October 7. The padayatra is a peace mission to the trouble-hit districts of Mandya and Mysore in the Cauvery basin.

Krishna talking to reporters at Kengeri denied that his padayatra was stemmed from the threat of the mid-term Assembly poll that lurked on the state.

He said there was no question of going to mid-term elections as the Congress party has comfortable majority in the state.

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Spiking Opposition allegation who had dubbed the yatra as "political march", he said "my padayatra is an endurance test to me" and there was no need for him to derive political mileage out of it.

Krishna said the decision to undertake padayatra was purely that of his "personal" and not motivated by any other factor.

The Chief Minister quipped, "do the Opposition expect me to invite them to join in my walking too", when it was pointed out the latter's allegation that they were not invited.

Krishna said he has requested the Prime Minister, A B Vajpayee to convene an emergent meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA), but was yet to hear from him.

Vajpayee is leaving on a tour of abroad to visit Denmark and UK on October 7.

Krishna said it was possible even now to find an amicable settlement by negotiations to the Cauvery Water sharing row.

PTI