Former Jamshedpur MP Ajoy Kumar joined around 100 district Congress leaders in Jamshedpur to launch an indefinite dharna in front of Ardeshir Dalal Memorial Hospital (ADMH) in Baridih on Friday to protest against the delay in setting up the state-of-the-art medical college.

"Through our agitation we want to exert pressure on the BJP-led state and Union governments for early execution of the medical college and hospital project of Manipal Group," said the Congress spokesman who was accompanied by senior party leaders including district president Bijay Khan and Anand Bihari Dubey, among others.

Dubey said that the delay in setting up the medical college was a cruel joke on the people of the region.

Kumar, a doctor turned IPS who lost to BJP's Bidyut Baran Mahto in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, said all agreements and documentation between Tata Steel and Manipal Academy of Higher Education were completed during his tenure as Jamshedpur MP.

"However, we are still awaiting clearance of the project. The matter is stuck between Union HRD ministry and the state government and both the Centre and the state government should answer to the masses about reasons for the delay," he said.

The Congress leaders said their agitation would continue in the district and, if needed, they would also hold demonstrations in Ranchi to pressure the government to clear the project at the earliest.

"No prominent educational institutions has invested in the city or the region in the last one decade and here we had one of the best educational institutions of the country willing to set up facility in city which would have helped not only medical students but also opened opportunities for tribal students in nursing and other healthcare sector. But the government seems not keen on this aspect which is evident in the delay," said Dubey.