Chennai: Former Transport Minister and a TTV Dinakaran loyalist V Senthil Balaji joined the MK Stalin-led DMK on Friday.
Balaji joined the DMK in the presence of its President MK Stalin at the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam here.
There are reports that Balaji plans to organise a public meeting in his constituency, Karur, later. A source from the DMK said Senthil Balaji has been in talks with the DMK high command for the last few days and that the DMK is not averse to welcoming Balaji back to the party.
Tensions are high in the TTV camp as Dinakaran loyalists are reportedly trying their best to prevent Balaji’s moving away from Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam to the DMK.
Meanwhile, TTV Dinakaran has written to his party cadre assuring them that the party will not face a setback because of an individual's exit.
"The party will not suffer if a few, or even a faction, leave the unit for personal gains. Why should I regret if fake people leave my side?" TTV Dinakaran told his cadre.
Balaji held discussions with his supporters in Karur constituency on Wednesday to chalk out plans but when he was asked by reporters on whether he is joining the DMK, Balaji maintained that make his position known later.
The rumour started after a picture of Senthil Balaji and DMK leader A Raja went viral. Add to that, Senthil Balaji did not participate in the procession led by TTV Dinakaran on Jayalalithaa’s second death anniversary.
Senthil Balaji was with the DMK before joining the AIADMK in 2000. He was elected from Karur constituency in 2006 and in 2011, when the AIADMK came to power, he was made the Transport Minister. However, in 2015 he was removed from the cabinet. In 2016 State Assembly Elections, he contested from Aruvakkuruchi constituency and subsequently won but was disqualified, along with 17 other MLAs, for withdrawing support to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
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