CHENNAI: The buzz is very strong in DMK circles that the party’s youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin will be made a Cabinet member in a few weeks. When TNIE sought comments, a source close to the young leader acknowledged the development. He reasoned that Udhayanidhi is already popular and many ministers want him to share dais in their department events. “But questions are raised over the protocol of an MLA sharing dais with ministers. If he becomes a minister, this can be avoided and he can also prove his mettle as an administrator,” the source told TNIE.
The respect that Udhayanidhi commands from the DMK MLAs has been evident during the Assembly sessions. When the Chepauk MLA enters or leaves the House, other MLAs around him rise from their seats. Only a few others, like Chief Minister and Udhayanidhi’s father MK Stalin, command such respect.
"Partymen too are warming up to the idea of seeing the young leader as a minister. “Already, we have four first-time MLAs as ministers in the present cabinet. So there is nothing wrong in making such a crowd-puller a minister,” a sitting MLA told TNIE.
A few youth wing functionaries said after the youth wing was established in the party, at least one of the functionaries from the wing had served as a minister since 1989, whenever the party formed the government. But this time, none from the youth wing has made it to the Cabinet. Hence, it would be right to elevate Udhayanidhi Stalin as a minister, they said. According to sources, three departments including Youth Welfare and Municipal Administration, are on the cards for Udhayanidhi.
At the same time, a section of DMK functionaries expressed their concern over what they called a hurried elevation. They said Stalin was made a minister when he was elected for the fourth time to the House. At the time, it was considered a win-win situation for the party and him since he had at least three-and-a-half decades of political experience. “Now, if Udhayanidhi is elevated as a Cabinet member, it would pour fuel to the opposition’s charges of dynastic politics playing a role in the party,” the functionaries said.