The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Member of Legislative Assembly P.K. Sekar Babu on Saturday became the second AIADMK MLA to join the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in two years.
In mid-2009, Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, Tiruchendur MLA since 2001, joined the DMK after being expelled from the AIADMK. As he had quit the MLA post subsequently, the by-election took place in December 2009 in which Mr Radhakrishnan, who contested on the DMK ticket, became the MLA again.
In February 2010, L. Radhakrishnan and K. Rajendran, AIADMK MLAs from Kovilpatti and Jayankondan, defied the party leadership and called on the DMK president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. They had also attended the DMK general council and the AIADMK had sought their disqualification. However, the two MLAs are still regarded as AIADMK members.
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Since August 2008, T.M. Selvaganapathy, S. Muthusamy, M. Chinnasami and Azhagu Thirunavukkarasu and V. Sathiyamoorthy who were Ministers during the AIADMK regime of 1991-1996, joined the DMK. Mr Selvaganapathy is now a DMK Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha).
At about 10-30 a.m. on Saturday, Mr Sekar Babu, who was AIADMK's North Chennai District Secretary for nine years till his removal in October last year, called on Mr. Karunanidhi at the Gopalapuram residence. He along with his supporters joined the party in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin, Mr Muthusamy ,Mr Anitha Radhakrishnan and the DMK North Chennai District Secretary V.S. Babu.
Later, he told reporters that he submitted to Mr Karunanidhi his resignation letter from the MLA post. It was up to the DMK leader to take a decision on it.
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On the reasons for quitting the AIADMK, he said that those who had following among workers and people were being pushed out of the party. "While in the DMK there is only one leader - Kalaignar, there are several general secretaries in the AIADMK though Puratchi Thalaivi [Jayalalithaa] has been accepted by the party members as the general secretary." He had been counselled by the DMK president not to make adverse remarks on the AIADMK leader.
Mr Sekar Babu expressed the hope that the DMK would retain power and Mr Karunanidhi would become Chief Minister for the sixth time.