Bengaluru, Nov 24 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that an all-party meet will be convened next week to discuss the ongoing border dispute with Maharashtra.
He said that the an all-party meeting has been convened to discuss in detail the Maharashtra government's intentions to resolve the border row amicably through talks, and other important issues. "The border dispute is over but Maharashtra is raking up this row..."
Bommai also said that the Karnataka government is prepared for the legal battle which is currently in the Supreme Court.
"(Maharashtra Chief Minister) Mr (Eknath) Shinde has said in the media that they are looking at resolving the issue through mutual discussion. But, as they have gone to the Supreme Court, we are prepared to fight it out because we are on legally strong ground," he said.
Bommai stressed that the border dispute itself is a closed chapter and there is no dispute after the States Reorganisation Act was brought in.
At the heart of the dispute lies Maharashtra's claim over Belgaum or Belagavi district and 80 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka. Even as it rejects Maharashtra's claims, Karnataka has been demand for some Kannada-speaking areas in Maharashtra such as Solapur be merged with it. Both the states currently are currently ruled by the BJP by itself or in alliance.
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