Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today went on a day-long hunger strike along with members of the AIADMK to "condemn" the Centre for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board in compliance with the Supreme Court order.

Palaniswami arrived at the fast venue in Chepauk here first followed by his deputy and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam. The arrival of the top two AIADMK leaders came as a surprise as the party had earlier said that all other leaders, barring them, would take part in the fast. Their names did not figure in the list of district wise participants of the AIADMK either.

"The hunger strike is to condemn the central government for not forming the CMB," the AIADMK said in a statement.

Panneerselvam told reporters here that the AIADMK's protest would would be a success. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and AIADMK presidium chairman E Madusudanan also joined their party colleagues for the day-long fast.

In other parts of the state, ministers and senior leaders representing the districts led the protest. In its February 16 judgement, the apex court raised the 270 tmcft share of Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water.

The apex court granted the Centre six weeks to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page judgement, which modified the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award.

Following the verdict, Tamil Nadu has been urging the Centre to set up the Cauvery Water Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to ensure that it received its due share of water from the inter-state river. The six-week period ended on March 29.

Cauvery Row: AIADMK On Statewide Hunger Strike

Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK began their statewide hunger strike on Tuesday in protest against the Central government's failure to set up a Cauvery Management Board (CMB) despite a Supreme Court order.

Chief Minister K.Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam participated in the strike here, while in districts, the protest was led by other ministers and party leaders. The protest that began at 8 a.m., will conclude at 5 p.m.

The top court by its February 16 verdict had reduced the Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), which was less than 192 TMC allocated by a tribunal in 2007. On the other hand, Karnataka's share of water was increased by 14.75 TMC. The Centre has failed to set up the CMB within six weeks of the apex court's February 16 order.

The deadline ended on March 29. Tamil Nadu political leaders say the BJP is acting in favour of Karnataka, which is opposed to the CMB and where Assembly elections are due.

IANS