Tamil Nadu politics is rife with speculation that state Youth Welfare and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin might soon be elevated after the state's Backward Classes Welfare Minister, Raja Kannappan, referred to the scion of the Stalin family as deputy chief minister at a public function in Ramanathapuram on Friday.
However, he immediately corrected himself and suggested that he could refer to Udhayanidhi as deputy chief minister only after August 19.
This has given a clear indication that Udhayanidhi is likely to be elevated soon.
It had earlier been reported by IANS that before Chief Minister Stalin embarks on his tour to the US, his son Udhayanidhi would be made the deputy chief minister.
Mr Stalin will commence his US trip on August 22 as he is scouting for investments for the state.
While Udhayanidhi played down the subject, when he was asked about it, Mr Stalin told media persons that the time was not ripe for making his son the deputy chief minister.
Chief Minister Stalin had recently admitted that the clamour within his party for Udhayanidhi's elevation had grown stronger but indicated that they would have to wait.
With less than two years remaining for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections slated to be held in 2026, Mr Stalin knows that Udhayanidhi could carry the baton forward.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it was Udhayanidhi who had campaigned across the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu.
Soon after the elections were announced on March 16, Udhayanidhi campaigned in 121 locations in 39 Lok Sabha constituencies across Tamil Nadu.
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