Gulbarga, Apr 24 (UNI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly N Dharam Singh today demanded that the state government convene an all-party meeting to discuss the vexed Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu and border row with Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters here, he opined that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's order to appoint an expert committee to go into the crop pattern and water requirements of four riparian states would cause further delay in settling the dispute.

He advised the government to take the help of former Minister H K Patil while dealing with the dispute as he was an expert on the issue.

Referring to the border row with Maharashtra, Mr Singh said the Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi had led a delegation to the Prime Minister and sought his intervention in solving the dispute with Karnataka.

Stating that the Maharashtra Government was now demanding the Centre to notify some villages located in Karnakata as Union Territory till the border issue was resolved, he cautioned Mr Kumaraswamy that the six Union Ministers from Maharashtra might influence the Centre in resolving the border row in its favour.

He also called upon the Congress workers to be ready for a mid-term poll in the state.

UNI DP RG GM2054