In yet another shocking event for ADMK's leadership amid the political and leadership crisis, an ADMK candidate has exited the party and joined the DMK. The development has come three days ahead of the urban local body polls in Tamil Nadu in which both the parties are locking horns as top contenders. The polls will be held on February 19 and the votes will be counted on February 22nd. 

According to our sources, ADMK candidate Muthupandi, who was awarded the seat in the party's ticket to contest in the race of councillor from the first ward of the Dindigul Corporation, has on Wednesday - February 16 joined the DMK. In recent times, several ADMK cadres have been joining the DMK even as the ruling party poses more advantage in securing a victory at all levels of the local body polls.

ADMK has been witnessing a setback following debacles as the party has lost the alliance with the BJP and the latter will be contesting alone in the local body polls. As PMK hasn't endorsed its support to the ADMK in the polls, the state opposition party has no larger political outfit in its alliance amid facing a wider race from several fronts including Kamal Haasan, Seeman, and Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. 

The polls will be electing 12,820 posts and they include - 21 mayors, 138 chairmen for municipalities, 490 town panchayats. The polls will also be electing 1,064 councillors for municipal corporations, 3,468 councillors for municipalities, and 8,288 councillors for town panchayats.