Chennai: M Karunanidhi, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, has said his son M K Stalin is going to take charge as Tamil Nadu's deputy chief minister as a reward for what Karunanidhi called his continued endeavours that have won him a seat in the hearts of the people in the state.
Explaining Stalin's elevation as his deputy, Karunanidhi says since his spinal surgery four months ago, he has been weak and wheelchair bound. He says:
"In this condition, I am unable to give full attention to the administration. I have to read through more than 100 files in a week.
"I discussed this with the Finance Minister and since his health is also not very good, we decided that I would retain one or two departments, the rest would be handed over to Mr M K Stalin who would function as the Deputy Chief Minister."
Earlier, politics within the Karunanidhi family delayed the formation of the new union government. The DMK chief wanted Cabinet berths for his elder son Azhagiri and grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran.
This was to bring about a balance of power between his children and grandnephew.
Analysts at that time pointed out that this move would also make the route clear for the elevation of Karunanidhi's younger son M K Stalin to the post of DMK president after Karunanidhi.
With Azhagiri and Maran making their ways into the Union Cabinet, the road was all but clear for Stalin.
In the past both Stalin and Azhagiri have been engaged in a bitter battle. Though that issue has been settled for now, Karunanidhi needs to carefully juggle the political aspirations of his family with that of the party's senior leaders.
Karunanidhi has three wives. M K Azhagiri and M K Stalin are his sons from the second marriage. Kanimozhi is daughter from the third. Dayanidhi and Kalanidhi Maran are his grand nephews, sons of the late Murasoli Maran.
Azhargiri is an MP from Madurai and now a Cabinet minister. Kanimozhi is a Rajya Sabha MP. Dayanidhi Maran is also a cabinet minister and his brother Kalanidhi runs the Sun TV network.
PTI adds: The DMK chief, who appointed his 55-year-old son to be his deputy, entrusted to him the portfolios of Industry, General Administration, District Revenue Officers and Minority Welfare hitherto held by him.
Stalin, who still heads the party's youth wing and had shot to fame after his incarceration under MISA during the 1975 Emergency, will also continue to hold the portfolio of Rural Development and Local Administration, a Raj Bhavan press release, announcing his appointment, said.
The elevation of Stalin, who was Chennai Mayor during Karunanidhi's earlier tenure between 1996 and 2001, has been on the cards for quite sometime as Karunanidhi had been having problems after his major surgery for back pain in February last. In his absence, Stalin was the main campaigner for the DMK in the Lok Sabha polls.