Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Monday raked up the Mahanadi row accusing the Narendra Modi government of adopting a partisan attitude on the issue that has become a bone of contention between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The party will chalk out its future course of action on April 15 after consultations with BJD leaders of the 15 districts falling in the Mahanadi basin.

The party has deputed leaders including Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, general secretary Sanjay Das Burma and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak to corner the Centre on the issue.

Mishra said: "After our consistent demand and the Supreme Court's direction, the Centre had agreed to constitute a tribunal to settle the Mahanadi dispute. But it had knowingly delayed the notification of its constitution to allow Chhattisgarh to go ahead with its constructions on the river."

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than four times to constitute a tribunal to settle the dispute with Chhattisgarh.

Mishra said though the Supreme Court had passed an order on January 23 directing the central government to constitute the tribunal to adjudicate the dispute, the Centre took nearly 48 days to form it.

"It only shows the dilly-dallying attitude of the Modi government on the issue," he said. Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said: "The Centre is yet to communicate the terms of reference of the tribunal to the state government, but it had told the Rajya Sabha that it had done it. We want that terms of reference be communicated to us immediately."

Announcing the party's programme, Das Burma said: "Instead of issuing the terms of reference, the Centre has again called for meetings of five states, including Odisha and Chhattisgarh, on April 16. Why is the meeting is being called again?"

Das Burma said: "The party will invite its leaders, right from the grassroots level, from the 15 Mahanadi basin districts, to attend a symposium on April 15 on the issue. The ministers from the area will also attend the symposium. At the meeting, the party will decide how to intensify its agitation on the Mahanadi issue to protect the interests of the people."

He said: "Our specific demand is for Chhattisgarh to immediately stop construction of barrages and open the gates of Kalma barrage so that the water flows into the lower basin of the Mahanadi."

Firing a fresh salvo, Acharya said: "Now Chhattisgarh is planning to set up barrages on Ib and Maini rivers. If the barrages come up on the Ib, it will severely hit the drinking water supply to Brajarajnagar and other towns of west Odisha."

The BJP said the BJD was raising the issue to divert public attention from other important issues.

"The state is facing unscheduled power cuts. The BJD is also facing a serious internal squabble. The party is raking up the Mahanadi issue. But they cannot fool the people all the time to deflect attention from these burning issues," said BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty.