Vaithilingam, who was the joint coordinator of the AIADMK Cadres' Rights Retrieval Committee and considered second only to O Panneerselvam in the faction, formally joined the DMK in the presence of party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam.
The Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches at various locations in Chennai linked to former AIADMK minister and sitting MLA R Vaithilingam in an alleged money laundering case.