Three Tamil Nadu MLAs took the oath of office as ministers in the DMK government this afternoon as part of a cabinet reshuffle in Chief Minister MK Stalin's team. DMK leader Senthil Balaji, who spent 15 months in jail in a money laundering case before the Supreme Court granted him bail, was reinstated as minister and took the oath today.
The three other MLAs who took oath as ministers today are Govi Chezhian, SM Nasar and R Rajendran. Mr Balaji has returned as minister for electricity, excise and prohibition. Mr Chezhian will take over the higher education portfolio, Mr Nassar will be the new minorities minister and Mr Rajendran has been given the tourism portfolio.
This cabinet rejig is also significant because it marks the elevation of MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister. He is the third generation leader in his family to get a key role in the Tamil Nadu government after his grandfather and DMK veteran late M Karunanidhi and his father MK Stalin. The 46-year-old leader did not take oath at today's event because he was a minister before his elevation to the Number 2 post in the state government. He was seen congratulating the four ministers after the oath ceremony at Raj Bhavan.
Earlier today, Udhayanidhi Stalin said in a social media post that 'Deputy Chief Minister' is not a position but a responsibility for him. He also visited the memorials of his grandfather M Karunanidhi and social activist Periyar.
Udhayanidhi Stalin's elevation to the top post has drawn sharp criticism from AIADMK and the BJP.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan referred to junior Stalin as "prince" and said his elevation marks the end of DMK before the 2026 state polls. "This exposes what a big liar Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is. Before the 2021 election, he said his son, son-in-law, or anyone from his family won't venture into politics. This signals what we have been saying. This is dynast rule in the name of democracy. DMK means only one family. This is a black day in Tamil Nadu."
The BJP, too, has targeted the DMK and said the party's history has been marked with "years of betrayal of the people and prioritising family interests over public welfare". "Despite being part of the alliance, DMK has denied its partners a share in power and instead appointed Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister," BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said.
The reinstatement of Senthil Balaji is a message from the DMK to the BJP-ruled Centre. Mr Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a corruption case in June last year and got relief from the Supreme Court only on Thursday. Both the DMK leader and the party have stressed that he was framed out of political vendetta. His reinstatement as minister days after he was granted bail is the DMK doubling down.
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