Differences within the Congress over the contentious Mekedatu dam project surfaced on Saturday after Tamil Nadu Congress leader Manickam Tagore opposed Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar’s demand for the Centre’s approval, prompting a sharp response from the latter, who said he was “least bothered” by the objections.The row erupted after Shivakumar, during an event attended by PM Narendra Modi in Mysuru on Friday, sought the Centre’s approval for the proposed dam across the Cauvery, a long-standing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Tagore, sharing a video of Shivakumar’s remarks on X, accused him of disregarding Tamil Nadu’s interests and violating the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award and Supreme Court directives. He alleged that Karnataka’s insistence on constructing the dam threatened the livelihood of farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta districts and went against the principles of federalism.Tagore said Karnataka could not unilaterally undertake a project affecting the water rights of Tamil Nadu, a lower-riparian state, and urged the Centre not to grant approval without its consent. He said the Tamil Nadu Government would never accept the project, warning that its implementation could severely affect farmers dependent on Cauvery water.However, Shivakumar dismissed the objections, asserting that Karnataka had every right to construct the dam while protecting Tamil Nadu’s water entitlement. “Let anyone condemn. I am least bothered. It is my state, my right,” Shivakumar said, claiming that the Supreme Court had recognised Tamil Nadu’s entitlement to 170 TMC of water.He invited TN leaders to visit Karnataka, saying he was willing to explain how the project would benefit both states. The CM sought to downplay the opposition, saying that if the Congress did not object, the DMK or AIADMK would.