Sedapatti quits AIADMK, joins DMK

Chennai, Apr 9 (UNI) Back from prolonged political wilderness, AIADMK Leader and Former Minister Sedapatti R Muthiah today quit the party and joined the DMK.

Mr Muthiah met DMK President M Karunanidhi at the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam and joined the DMK along with his supporters.

Mr Muthiah was a Former Assembly Speaker and had also served as a Union Minister for a brief period in 1998 and 1999, before he was asked to quit by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee following framing of charges in a disproportionate wealth case. Subsequently, he was convicted in the case.

He had been lying low for the last ten years after he was sidelined by the AIADMK.

Mr Muthiah, who had been keeping indifferent health, had kept himself out of politics. He was denied ticket by the AIADMK in the 2001 Assembly polls.

Hailing from Thevar community, Mr Muthiah's native place is Sedapatti village, near Andiapatti from where AIADMK Supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is seeking reelection to the Assembly in the May eight polls.

Later talking to reporters, Mr Muthiah expressed regret for being in the AIADMK, whose leader did not even care to enquire about his health condition when his sons met the Party High Command with a letter which said he was struggling for his life.

He said he would intensively campaign for the DMK in the elections.

Meanwhile, Mr Arasan, BJP MLA from Aranthaangi, also joined the DMK upset over not getting ticket to seek re-election. Aranthaangi was a pocket borough of former Union Minister Su Thirunavukkarasar, whose supporter was given the ticket by the BJP.

Later, the candidates of the CPI, one of the allies of the DMK-led DPA, called on Mr Karunanidhi and sought his blessings. CPI State Secretary Tha Pandian was present during the meeting.

UNI GV GM RL VC1432