Chennai:

Proving twin speculations true in one go, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has elevated Sports Minister and Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, to the post of deputy chief minister and re-inducted former transport minister Senthil Balaji, two days after he got bail in a money laundering case.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, whose elevation has been spoken about for weeks, has been given charge of the Planning and Development ministry in addition to his existing Youth Welfare and Sports Development portfolio and has been designated the deputy chief minister of the state. 

It is not yet clear what portfolio will be given to Mr Balaji, who had been behind bars for 15 months after being accused of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate for his involvement in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam that occurred during the AIADMK regime under late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. He was released on bail on Thursday by the Supreme Court, which said “stringent and higher threshold of bail and delay in prosecution cannot go together”.

As part of the cabinet reshuffle announced on Saturday, 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, have been dropped and three new faces, Govi Chezhiaan, R Rajendran and SM Nasar, will be inducted.

A Raj Bhavan release said Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has approved the chief minister’s recommendations and the swearing-in ceremony will take place at 3.30 pm on Sunday.

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has hinted at a cabinet reshuffle on his return from the US trip to draw investments to the state. There was intense speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader would elevate his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, as his deputy and bring in a few new faces removing a few sitting ministers before his foreign trip.

Asked by reporters if there would be a change in the council of ministers, Mr Stalin said, “Only change is unchanging. Wait and see”.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, 46, is currently Tamil Nadu’s sports and youth welfare minister. He also handles the key portfolio of special programme implementation.

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Rise In Tamil Nadu Politics

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation would be a key step in strengthening the second-rung leadership in the DMK, sources have said.

This is also being seen as a key move to counter the entry of Tamil star Vijay in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls.

The junior Stalin had handled DMK’s key campaign responsibility in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 2021 assembly polls, and this year’s Lok Sabha election, which was swept by the party in the state, raising expectations of rewards.

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

MK Stalin’s US Visit

MK Stalin has embarked on a 17-day trip to the US to bring investments and high-end jobs to the state.

Mr Stalin’s first stop will be Silicon Valley, where he will meet with potential investors, including CEOs of global Fortune 500 companies in San Francisco. He will also meet non-resident Tamil communities in San Francisco and Chicago.

Speaking to NDTV, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa said, “Tamil Nadu is poised for significant growth, and we expect a lot of good news from the US on investments”.

“The Chief Minister will ensure that the state gets the best. You’d be excited about the outcome,” he added.

According to sources, Mr Stalin’s special focus is on areas like artificial intelligence, research and development in tech, and attracting global capacity centers.

With a vision to turn Tamil Nadu into a one trillion dollar economy by 2030, Mr Stalin’s US tour is seen as a crucial step in realizing the state’s vision of becoming a hub for high-end jobs and global investments.

This is his fourth overseas trip as Chief Minister to draw investments. The state government claims these visits and other initiatives have resulted in investment commitments worth Rs 9.3 lakh crore over the last three years, which is expected to generate 31 lakh direct and indirect jobs.