<p>Odisha's three major political rivals, the ruling BJD and opposition BJP and Congress on Friday engaged in a slugfest over the Mahanadi water dispute.</p>.<p>The trading of charges was witnessed as Chhattisgarh released water ahead of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal's proposed visit to the central Indian state soon to gauge the situation.</p>.<p>The Odisha government alleges that the coastal state does not receive sufficient water during non-monsoon months as Chhattisgarh obstructs the flow of the water by constructing barrages upstream.</p>.<p>The ruling BJD alleged that the barrages were built by the previous Raman Singh government of the BJP and now the Congress government of Bhupesh Baghel was "choking the water flow".</p>.<p>BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra, addressing a press conference, alleged that both "the Congress and the BJP were two sides of the same coin" and did not resolve the Mahanadi water issue despite their governments being in power in Chhattisgarh and the Centre respectively.</p>.<p>She accused both parties of being "anti-Odisha" and of "shedding crocodile tears".</p>.<p>"It is the BJP's duty to persuade the Centre to intervene in the matter, while the Congress must exert pressure on the Chhattisgarh government to abide by the law," she said.</p>.<p>Mishra said "illegal" barrages constructed by the Chhattisgarh government in the upstream of the river has blocked the free flow of Mahanadi water, on which 14 of the 30 districts of Odisha depend.</p>.<p>"While the BJD is fighting for Mahanadi water, the Congress and the BJP remained silent on the issue," she claimed.</p>.<p>The BJP countered the allegations by stating that Mahanadi cannot be saved by mere sloganeering.</p>.<p>"What was the state government doing for the last 23 years? Writing letters and issuing statements through party leaders did not help. What was Odisha government doing when Chhattisgarh was building those barrages? The CM was at the helm of the water resources department," BJP MLA Dilip Mallick said.</p>.<p>He questioned whether Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ever met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed concern over the issue.</p>.<p>Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahanipati said senior party leader Narasingha Mishra had requested Patnaik to convene an all-party meeting when the issue was first raised in the assembly.</p>
<p>Odisha's three major political rivals, the ruling BJD and opposition BJP and Congress on Friday engaged in a slugfest over the Mahanadi water dispute.</p>.<p>The trading of charges was witnessed as Chhattisgarh released water ahead of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal's proposed visit to the central Indian state soon to gauge the situation.</p>.<p>The Odisha government alleges that the coastal state does not receive sufficient water during non-monsoon months as Chhattisgarh obstructs the flow of the water by constructing barrages upstream.</p>.<p>The ruling BJD alleged that the barrages were built by the previous Raman Singh government of the BJP and now the Congress government of Bhupesh Baghel was "choking the water flow".</p>.<p>BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra, addressing a press conference, alleged that both "the Congress and the BJP were two sides of the same coin" and did not resolve the Mahanadi water issue despite their governments being in power in Chhattisgarh and the Centre respectively.</p>.<p>She accused both parties of being "anti-Odisha" and of "shedding crocodile tears".</p>.<p>"It is the BJP's duty to persuade the Centre to intervene in the matter, while the Congress must exert pressure on the Chhattisgarh government to abide by the law," she said.</p>.<p>Mishra said "illegal" barrages constructed by the Chhattisgarh government in the upstream of the river has blocked the free flow of Mahanadi water, on which 14 of the 30 districts of Odisha depend.</p>.<p>"While the BJD is fighting for Mahanadi water, the Congress and the BJP remained silent on the issue," she claimed.</p>.<p>The BJP countered the allegations by stating that Mahanadi cannot be saved by mere sloganeering.</p>.<p>"What was the state government doing for the last 23 years? Writing letters and issuing statements through party leaders did not help. What was Odisha government doing when Chhattisgarh was building those barrages? The CM was at the helm of the water resources department," BJP MLA Dilip Mallick said.</p>.<p>He questioned whether Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ever met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed concern over the issue.</p>.<p>Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahanipati said senior party leader Narasingha Mishra had requested Patnaik to convene an all-party meeting when the issue was first raised in the assembly.</p>