Mixed response to hunger stir, bandh

While the CM and his deputy arrived at the fast venue at Chepauk around 8 am when the stir commenced and stayed on the stage without a break till 5 pm, most of the party functionaries turned up only after the arrival of the two senior leaders. 

The fast at Chepauk that started with a thin strength saw a slight rise in attendance as hours passed. But the crowd swelled to only a few thousands, despite the presence of the CM and the Deputy CM. 

Notably, both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam were cautious in their speech and refrained from attacking the BJP-led NDA government on the Cauvery issue and directed their attacks on the principal opposition DMK, charging the latter with betraying the state on the water sharing dispute. The traders’ bandh called by Tamil Nadu Forum of Traders Associations KM Vikramaraja also evoked only a partial response in the city and near total support in delta districts.