Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday indicated that there will be a reshuffle in the state cabinet.
To the question on a rejig in the cabinet and the possible elevation of sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy chief minister, he said, "There will be a change and no disappointments."
The news about elevating Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy chief minister has been doing rounds for the past three months. It was said that the elevation would happen before Stalin visited the United States. When asked then Stalin said that the situation was not ripe to elevate his son. However, there were reasons for his statement then. The seniors in the DMK opposed the idea of making him the deputy chief minister.
During an event in Chennai, superstar Rajinikanth with Stalin on the dias had said the seniors in the party like Durai Murugan should clear the path and give way for the next generation of youth. Rajini's comments were criticised by the DMK seniors and even Durai Murugan reacted to the comment.
However, a month later now, it seems the seniors in the party have given way and cleared the hiccups to allow Udhayanidhi to be appointed as the deputy chief minister.
Stalin's reply to a question on cabinet reshuffle saying that there will be a change indicates that the elevation of Udhayanidhi is imminent.
Meanwhile, talking to the media AIADMK spokesperson and organising secretary D. Jayakumar said, "Many years ago, former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said the DMK is not a Sankara Mutt to encourage dynastic politics. But slowly, he brought M.K. Stalin into the party. In the same pattern, the DMK has been spreading the information that Udhayanidhi is the deputy chief minister. Stalin says there won't be any disappointment. Though the Cabinet reshuffle is a prerogative of the chief minister, there are umpteen seniors who have put in enormous work for the DMK. Are they not eligible for this post?"
DMK's decision to elevate Udhayanidhi has also invited criticisms from alliance partners like Thol Thirumavalavan's VCK. The VCK which has been vociferous for the past few months criticising the DMK government's performance had also demanded its share in power.
Adhav Arjun, VCK's deputy general secretary said, "If an actor who came into politics just a few years before can become the deputy chief minister, why not our leader Thirumavalavan?" Aadhav's comments seem to have widened the rift in the DMK alliance. However, Udhayanidhi's elevation is imminent.
