Another DMDK functionary resigns from party, joins DMK

A senior DMDK leader today joined DMK, giving further jolt to the Vijayakant-led party whose seven MLAs have already shifted loyalty to ruling AIADMK.

DMDK Deputy General Secretary and former MP, S Austin, who had fallen out of favour with Vijayakant, joined DMK in the presence of party chief M Karunanidhi.

Austin was accompanied by over 50 other DMDK functionaries including district office-bearers, a DMK release said.

Austin, who had been initially with AIADMK, is a former Rajya Sabha MP and also an ex-MLA. He had resigned from DMDK, the main opposition party in the state Assembly, recently.

Though DMDK has 29 MLAs in the 234-member House, seven of the party MLAs had shifted loyalty to AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa. They had met her at different points of time seeking her help for constituency-related work.