Udhayanidhi Stalin is TN Deputy Chief Minister; 4 ministers sworn in

On Saturday, Udhayanidi was elevated as the deputy CM with additional responsibility, in a Cabinet reshuffle that saw the return of Balaji to the council of ministers two days after securing bail in a money laundering case.

Also read: Why Stalin was forced to push Udhayanidhi up the ranks as deputy CM

The ruling DMK's rank and file had been seeking 46 year-old Udhayanidhi's promotion with an eye on the 2026 Assembly polls in the state, which the party is keen to win and retain power in the state.

Another 'son rise' in TN

It marked another 'son rise' moment in the Dravidian party as many enthusiastic DMK leaders and workers have already been billing Udhayanidhi as a possible Chief Minister in the future, succeeding his father. Udhayanidhi's grandfather, the late M Karunanidhi is a former chief minister of the state.

Read our interview with Udhayanidhi Stalin

According to a Raj Bhavan release on Saturday, Stalin "recommended to the Governor of Tamil Nadu (Ravi) to allot the portfolio of Planning and Development to Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, in addition to his existing portfolios and be designated as Deputy Chief Minister."

Udhayanidhi, who has produced and distributed a number of Tamil films featuring top stars including Kamal Haasan and Vijay, is also the DMK's Youth Wing chief. He has also acted as the male lead in a number of Tamil flicks, including the hit 'Oru Kal Oru Kannadi.'

Balaji returns

Equally notable in the reshuffle was Balaji's return. Ever since he walked out of the jail on Thursday, speculations were rife about his return to the Stalin-led ministry in an imminent reshuffle. The CM himself has dropped adequate hints of a cabinet reshuffle over the past many days.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court granted bail to Balaji, a former minister, in a money laundering case after over 15 months and ended his 471-day incarceration in connection with the money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. The agency had arrested him on June 14, 2023. He was then Minister for Electricity and also held the Excise and Prohibition portfolio.

Although Ravi had dismissed Balaji in June last year, he quickly backtracked on it. However, Balaji, who was a minister without portfolio for long, resigned in February this year which the Governor accepted.

Governor's nod

On Saturday, Ravi approved Stalin's recommendations on dropping T Mano Thangaraj who held the Milk and Dairy Development portfolio, Minorities Welfare Minister Gingee S Masthan and K Ramachandran (Tourism). Nasar was dropped as Milk and Dairy Development minister in an earlier cabinet reshuffle.

The Governor has approved the chief minister's recommendations, the release said.

Further, Minister for Higher Education, Dr K Ponmudy, is now Minister for Forests.

As part of the exercise, the portfolios of many ministers were also changed.

Environment Minister Siva V Meyyanathan is the Minister for Backward Classes while Dr M Mathiventhan, currently holding the Forests portfolio, has been given Adi Dravidar Welfare.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has been given an additional portfolio of Environment and Climate Change. R S Rajakannappan, holding Backward Classes Welfare portfolio, is Milk and Dairy Development and Khadi minister.

(With agency inputs)