Udhayanidhi Stalin Could Be Elevated As Deputy Chief Minister, Say Sources

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK is thinking of elevating Udhayanidhi Stalin -- son of Chief Minister MK Stalin - as the Deputy Chief Minister. He would be the second-in-command in the government, senior party sources have said. The elevation would be a key step in strengthening the second-rung leadership in party, sources said.  This is also being seen as a key move to counter the entry of Tamil star Vijay in the 2026 assembly polls.

Udhayanidhi Stalin had handled key campaign responsibility in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,  2021 assembly polls and this year's Lok Sabha election that was swept by the DMK in the state, raising expectation of rewards.

There is no official word yet from the party or the Chief Minister. Some sources in the party indicate this narrative is being orchestrated and fast-tracked by a key member in the DMK's first family to avert the kind of long wait MK Stalin went through under his Chief Minister father M Karunanidhi.

Karunanidhi, who groomed his younger son MK Stalin as his political heir, made him go through the political grind over the years – as MLA, Chennai Mayor, Minister and then Deputy Chief Minister.  

A young minister in Stalin's cabinet too is believed to play an active role in this.

Although no opposition is expected within the party,  many say Udhayanidhi Stalin lacks the experience, calibre and political acumen to command the level of  acceptance needed to supersede several talented veteran leaders of the party. His elevation is bound to aggravate power centres within the party and the government.

To avert any rebellion, the party has already rewarded sons and daughters of senior leaders and making them MLAs, ministers and  MPs. The list includes TRB Rajaa, Thangam Thennarasu, Tamilachi Thangapandian, Kathir Anand, Kalanidhi Veerasamy, MK Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan called it "dynastic and family politics". "This would mark the greatest fall of DMK in Tamil Nadu," he said.

DMK sources denied the allegation. A spokesperson said, "He has been democratically elected. Where is the question of dynasty?"

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, asked whether he would be elevated as Deputy Chief Minister if the party sweeps, Udhayanidhi Stalin had said, "You should ask the Chief Minister".

Mr Stalin had also denied that his son was being considered for elevation. "Rumours were being spread with an intention to create a sensation, that deputy CM post (for Udhayanidhi) was going to be given," he had said in January this year.

Udhayanidhi Stalin was made the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister in his father's Cabinet in December 2022 after his crucial role in the 2021 Assembly election, which ended the decade of AIADMK rule in the state. The President of the DMK's Youth Wing, he won from the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency.

(With agencies)