AIADMK MLA Sekarbabu defects to DMK

Chennai, Jan 29 (PTI) With Tamil Nadu Assembly pollsround the corner, DMK today received a shot in the arm whenits arch rival AIADMK''s Chennai strongman and MLA P KSekarbabu defected to the ruling party.

Sekarbabu, who was recently removed as AIADMK''s NorthChennai unit Secretary, today called on Chief Minister and DMKchief M Karunanidhi and joined the party, becoming the fifthMLA to leave the principal opposition party since the lastAssembly polls in 2006.

AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalithaa had replacedSekarbabu with former minister D Jayakumar.

Talking to reporters, Sekarbabu said when "I feltorphaned, the DMK leaders were kind enough to adopt me."

Former minister Anitha S Radhakrishnan was the firstto leave the party. He was followed by K Rajendran and LRadhakrishnan.

But AIADMK had not expelled Rajendran andRadhakrishnan from the party. Film comedian S Vee Sekar,elected on the AIADMK ticket, was sacked from the party.

Anitha Radhakrishnan had resigned from his Assemblymembership and was re-elected on a DMK ticket from Tiruchendurin the by-election.