AIADMK MLA Sekarbabu defects to DMK

With the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls round the corner, DMK on Saturday received a shot in the arm when its arch rival, AIADMK's Chennai strongman and MLA P K Sekarbabu defected to the ruling party.

Sekarbabu, who was recently removed as AIADMK's North Chennai unit Secretary, on Saturday called on chief minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi and joined the party, becoming the fifth MLA to leave the principal opposition party since the last Assembly polls in 2006.

AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalithaa had replaced Sekarbabu with former minister D Jayakumar.

Talking to reporters, Sekarbabu said "When I felt orphaned, the DMK leaders were kind enough to adopt me."

Former minister Anitha S Radhakrishnan was the first to leave the party. He was followed by K Rajendran and L Radhakrishnan.

But AIADMK had not expelled Rajendran and Radhakrishnan from the party. Film comedian S Vee Sekar, elected on the AIADMK ticket, was sacked from the party. Anitha Radhakrishnan had resigned from his Assembly membership and was re-elected on a DMK ticket from Tiruchendur in the by election.