Even as the two warring factions of the AIADMK led by former CM O Panneerselvam and present CM E Palaniswami trying to arrive at a consensus for a merger by sidestepping the Sasikala family, further fissures seem to be emerging within the party.

Aravakurichi MLA V Senthil Balaji, who was also a minister earlier, has called for a hunger strike on April 28 against Lok Sabha MP and deputy Thambidurai and state minister Dr. C Vijayabaskar.

As the negotiation talks between two factions of AIADMK are in process, Senthil Balaji has called for allegedly stalling the construction of a medical college building in Karur.

Balaji has asked for police permission to carry out the hunger strike against them in front of Karur taluk office and submitted a petition to the superintendent of police. He stated that both Thambidurai and Vijayabaskar are delaying the construction of Karur medical college project in Kuppuchipalayam in Karur district, reported The Times of India.

He also alleged that both of them are trying to shift the medical college site to another place. He stated that the project was sanctioned by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014.

The New Indian Express reported that after he made the announcement, he met deputy general secretary of the party, TTV Dhinakaran at his residence on Friday. Interestingly, Thambidurai is one of the leaders who wanted Dhinakaran to be sidelined from the party.

During the previous Jayalalithaa-led government, Balaji had grown in prominence in the Kongu belt when he was the transport minister. Following allegations against him, Jayalalithaa had dropped him from the cabinet but given him a ticket in the 2016 Assembly elections.  

In response to this, Vijayabaskar told TNIE that they were not stalling the project and that the order to change the location was passed during Jayalalithaa’s period. He added that he does not know why the issue Is being raised now and that it has been informed to the Chief Minister.