Bengaluru: Brijesh Kalappa, most visible Congress face in New Delhi has resigned from the post of legal adviser of the state government to join the state legal team, which is arguing for the state in the Cauvery water dispute.As a legal adviser to the state government, Kalappa was conferred state minister ranking. It can be recalled that Supreme Court expected to start final hearing on the Cauvery issue in the first week of February 2017.

According to Kalappa, he has been associated with the Cauvery Water Dispute for over a decade. “The final arguments will commence on a day-to-day basis from 7th February, 2017 in the Supreme Court of India. As Legal Adviser (with the rank of Minister of State), I could not appear on behalf of the State. The Cauvery Water Dispute is very close to my heart, more so since I hail from Kodagu. I had expressed my desire to re-join legal practice in order to continue to appear for the State in this dispute, during its final hearing. The CM understood its significance, since he belongs to the basin area of the Cauvery river and had consented. I have therefore resigned from the Position of Legal Adviser to the Government of Karnataka/Chief Minister,” he stated.

Meanwhile, according to sources, Fali S Nariman will continue to lead the state legal team who will be assisted by legal experts like senior advocate Mr. Mohan Kataraki. It can be recalled that in the month of October 2016, Nariman had expressed his desire to quit state legal team following state government’s decision to disobey the SC judgement on Cauvery water release.