Tamil Nadu Cabinet rejig: Udhayanidhi Stalin elevated to Deputy Chief Minister; Senthil Balaji re-inducted
- In Reports
- 10:50 AM, Sep 30, 2024
- Myind Staff
Proving two speculations true, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has elevated Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, to the position of Deputy Chief Minister. The government has also re-inducted former Transport Minister Senthil Balaji into the cabinet, two days after he was granted bail in a money laundering case.
Udhayanidhi, who has been serving as the Sports Minister, will now also take charge of the Planning and Development ministry, while continuing his role as Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development. His promotion to Deputy Chief Minister has been widely discussed in political circles for weeks.
It is not yet clear which portfolio will be given to Senthil Balaji, who was behind bars for 15 months after being accused of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate. The case is linked to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam that took place during the AIADMK regime under former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Senthil Balaji was released on bail by the Supreme Court on Thursday, which noted that "stringent and higher threshold of bail and delay in prosecution cannot go together."
As part of the reshuffle announced on Saturday, three ministers have been dropped: T. Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Milk and Dairy Development; Gingee Masthan, Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare; and K. Ramachandran, Minister for Tourism. They will be replaced by Govi Chezhiaan, R. Rajendran, and S.M. Nasar.
A statement from Raj Bhavan confirmed that Governor R.N. Ravi has approved the Chief Minister’s recommendations. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation is seen as part of the DMK's strategy to prepare for the 2026 Assembly elections and to strengthen its second-rung leadership. Despite being a first-time MLA, Udhayanidhi led the successful campaign for the DMK-led alliance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where they swept all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. He also played important roles in the 2021 Assembly elections and the 2019 general elections.
The promotion is also being viewed as a move to counter the rise of popular Tamil actor Vijay, who launched his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in August. Vijay is expected to contest the 2026 state elections.
Amid the buzz around Udhayanidhi’s elevation, the DMK faced criticism from the AIADMK and BJP, accusing the party of dynastic politics. The DMK has brushed off the criticism, pointing out that Udhayanidhi is a democratically-elected MLA, and that the Chief Minister has the authority to decide his cabinet.
Party sources also credit Udhayanidhi Stalin with transforming Chennai into a hub for international sporting events, such as the Hero Asian Champions Trophy for hockey, beach volleyball, and Formula 4 Night Street Racing.
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