April 18 poll, an acid test for Karur ‘strongman’ Balaji

 The April 18 election is an acid test for Karur ‘strongman’ V Senthil Balaji, who recently crossed to DMK from AMMK, as he has to prove his strength in Karur constituency. Though the segment is allotted to the alliance partner Congress, both AIADMK and AMMK are training their guns on their estranged friend in the campaign speeches.

DMK is fully banking on Balaji’s strength, but the AIADMK and AMMK are also throwing a stiff competition to prove that the strongman’s influence in the region is just a myth and are working hard to completely ‘destroy’ him.

Ironically, both Thambidurai and TTV Dhinakaran are targeting only Senthil Balaji and comfortably ignore Congress LS candidate Jothimani. So, voters wonder whether Jothimani is contesting on Balaji

Beating Senthil Balaji’s dominance in the area seems to be topping the agenda as the former transport minister has had played a major role in the past few elections for the AIADMK.

After the demise of Jayalalithaa, Balaji joined the AMMK and then switched to the DMK months before the polls.

To make best use of his influence, the DMK made him the district secretary of Karur, an AIADMK stronghold.

People close to Senthil Balaji claimed that the pressure given by Thambidurai and Vijayabaskar made him join the AMMK after the split in AIADMK.

After sensing that the AMMK was losing strength, Senthil Balaji joined the DMK, where Stalin assigned him the task of strengthening the party in Karur.

On Wednesday, TTV Dhinakaran who campaigned for his candidate Thangavel in Aravakurichi slammed Senthil Balaji for betraying the party and said that he was enjoying everything during the previous government.

Now, the DMK leadership had asked Senthil Balaji to ensure the victory of Congress candidate. Balaji has been throwing his full weight behind the Congress candidate as he wants demonstrate his strength in the region and prove that he alone is the Karur ‘strongman’. The DMK cadre recalled that the police stopping Senthil Balaji and Jothimani during the nomination filing process was due to the fear of ruling party camp. Still, Senthil Balaji has assured that Jothimani would certainly win in the segment by a margin of at least 50,000 votes.