Vijay offers prayers at Sri Kanaga Durga temple in Vijayawada; holds water talks with Chandrababu Naidu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay met his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, N. Chandrababu Naidu, in Vijayawada during his first visit to the neighbouring state, with inter-state water sharing emerging as a key focus of their discussions.
According to the Tamil Nadu government, the meeting covered the proposed Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project and the release of additional Krishna River water to meet Chennai’s drinking water needs. The two leaders later attended the Vijayawada Utsav celebrations at Punnami Ghat.
Vijay began his visit by offering prayers at the Sri Kanaka Durga Temple before meeting Naidu. During their discussions, he pointed out that Tamil Nadu faces a natural shortage of surface water and depends on neighbouring states for around 30 per cent of its water requirements.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister described the Godavari-Cauvery link as an opportunity to improve water availability across southern India. He said the project could support agricultural activities, strengthen drinking water security and benefit several states in the region. Vijay also urged Naidu to help advance the proposal, noting that he had previously requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recognise it as a project of national importance.
Chennai’s immediate water requirements were another major issue at the meeting. Vijay sought additional Krishna River water from Andhra Pradesh, highlighting that the city’s five principal reservoirs were reportedly holding only about 35 per cent of their capacity.
Naidu responded that Andhra Pradesh had already supplied 4.08 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Krishna water to Chennai during the year. He said his government remained committed to assisting Tamil Nadu while also managing the water needs of its own population.
Naidu stressed the importance of cooperation between states and the Union government in advancing the river-linking proposal. He expressed hope that the project could help address water shortages, improve agricultural prospects and enhance the livelihoods of farmers across South India.
Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Water Resources Minister N. Anand, Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, and Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu were among those who attended the meeting.
Vijay had earlier planned to visit Karnataka in August to discuss the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and the proposed Mekedatu dam with Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. However, that meeting did not take place amid tensions at the time.