Shah's Mhadei comment in K’taka has ripple effect in Goa

The intense election campaign in poll-bound Karnataka has caused a flutter in Goa too, with BJP national president Amit Shah’s statement during a recent poll rally, putting the Goa BJP on the backfoot as far as the Mhadei inter-State water dispute issue is concerned.

A few days after Shah, during a poll campaign in Karnataka’s Hubbali region, promised to resolve the Mhadei water dispute between Karnataka and Goa and assured to deliver waters from the Mhadei river to Karnataka within six months, senior BJP officials in the State are trying hard to manage the after effects of the comment, for which they are facing flak from the Opposition parties.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, whose legislative assembly constituency of Valpoi is located on the banks of the Mhadei river (also referred to as the Mandovi) in Goa, on Friday said, that Shah's comment was only a poll campaign statement and that Shah would have Goa's interest at heart as far as the Mhadei interstate water dispute is concerned.

"In an election many statements are made. I am confident Amit Shah will ensure that the interests of Goa and the interests of our State is protected irrespective of whatever statement may have been made. We are totally confident that he will take the right decision," Rane told The Pioneer on Friday, when he was asked to respond to Shah's statement.

"We will see when he comes here. We will have a discussion with him. In any case all of us are going to meet him. Our interest is to protect the interest of Goa. I think Amit Shah a man like him of his stature will take the right decision as far as Goa is concerned, " Rane also said.