Wednesday, August 3 2005 19:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Expressing disappointment over the extension of tenure to the Cauvery River Water Disputes tribunal, the BJP today (August 3, 2005) said it would delay justice to Tamil Nadu.

BJP National Secretary Bandaru Dattatreya told a press meet here that the Cauvery delta farmers in the state had very high hopes of an early final award by the tribunal. But the one-year extension announced by the Centre yesterday belied their hopes, he said adding it was "unfortunate."

The Prime Minister, as the Chairperson of the Cauvery River Water Authority, should convene a meeting of the authority to ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of Cauvery Water as per the interim award of the tribunal.

He said Karnataka was only releasing water, which overflowed from its reservoirs, and never stuck to the schedule announced in the interim award.

He asserted that the party would stick to its decision of going it alone in the assembly elections next year.

The party would not have any truck with the AIADMK or with the DMK in the state, he maintained.

The BJP leader refused to comment on the AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's recent remarks that she had an "open mind" on the alliance issue.