The MPs, to be led by former Union Minister S R Bommai, will appeal to Vajpayee to ensure that the Centre seeks an adjournment of the case pending before the Supreme Court which is to come up for hearing on July 21. They will tell him that since the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is expected in a year's time, there is no need to accede to Jayalalitha's demand to notify the scheme for the implementation of the interim award now.

"We are confident that the Prime Minister will not act in favour of any State but will consider the interests of all the States concerned," he said, pointing out that the National Agenda for Governance had talked of a National Water Policy which should be the basis forresolution of inter-State water disputes.

The competition between Jayalalitha and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to raise the Cauvery issue has put the Centre in a spot. On the one hand, its stability could be threatened if it does anything which annoys Jayalalitha. On the other, it also cannot keep delaying the notification of the scheme for the implementation of the interim award.

The direction to notify the scheme has come from the Supreme Court and failure to do so would amount to contempt of court. The Centre has already sought more than half a dozen adjournments in the case.

Notification of the scheme against Karnataka's wishes would embarrass the State unit of the BJP. Karnataka is one State where the BJP hopes to form a Government in the next elections.