By TN Gopalan BBC Tamil service, Chennai

	The CM has called off the fast after Sri Lanka pledged not to use heavy weapons

The Chief Minister of the southern Indian state took everyone by surprise by commencing a fast at around 6 am.

He moved to the memorial erected for his political mentor and founder of the DMK CN Annadurai to stage his protest.

In his brief comments as he commenced the fast, the 86-year-old Muthuvel Karunanidhi said that he was pained at the continuing war and the miseries heaped on the innocent Tamil population.

LTTE truce offer

After the rebel Tamil Tigers announced a unilateral cease-fire yesterday, he said, he had hoped the Lankan government would reciprocate, but there was no such gesture forthcoming.

Hence he was left with no option but to go on a fast and offer himself as yet another victim of the war pursued by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Incidentally he had undergone a surgery for back problems only recently and doctors were worried that his fast could affect his recovery.

But he was determined, as he was not ready to face any embarrassment over his failure to stop the war at a time when the state is going to polls.

PM concerned

Well-wishers and followers kept streaming in and there were full-throated shouts denouncing the Lankan government and appealing to the Chief Minister to give up his fast.

He kept getting telephone calls from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, assuring him of their concern.

Meantime the crowds swelled and reports came in of other DMK leaders in the districts following suit and going on fast and disruption of traffic.

Then by about 12.30, Karunanidhi broke the news that he had received information that Sri Lanka had decided to end hostilities. Besides hereafter the armed forces would confine themselves only to relief operations, he said.

Hence he was breaking his fast; he said and thanked the federal government for their initiatives.