Panaji: The long-simmering Mhadei river dispute exploded into a full-blown political war on Friday, with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar trading sharp, politically charged blows.

Hitting back at Shivakumar’s fresh push for the Mahadayi diversion, CM Sawant minced no words:
“D. K. Kumar is showing his party’s true colours. I don’t wish to dignify his remarks with a comment—he can say whatever he wants. But let it be clear: my fight to protect Mhadei will never stop.”
Sawant’s defiant tone came in response to Shivakumar’s blistering attack, accusing the Goa government and the Centre of injustice towards Karnataka. “Mahadayi is not just a river—she is our Mahataayi. CM Sawant’s claim that the Centre will never approve the project is not just shocking, it is an insult to federalism,” Shivakumar fumed.
“Despite being awarded 13.42 TMC in 2018 by the Tribunal, Karnataka continues to be denied its rightful share. The Centre is playing political games, and Goa is acting entitled, while over 40 lakh people in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, and Bagalkot are denied water,” he said. “We will not stop until we get what is rightfully ours.”
Goa, on the other hand, has consistently warned that any diversion of the Mhadei will wreak irreversible ecological damage to the Western Ghats and severely impact the state’s water security.
As the verbal duel intensifies, the issue has now escalated beyond water — into a battle of pride, political will, and regional identity. While both governments harden their stances, the Centre’s silence is drawing increasing scrutiny.
With elections around the corner in both states, the Mhadei has once again become a potent political flashpoint. And if Friday’s exchange is any indication, the war over Mahadayi is far from over.