CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday dropped a strong hint about making his son and Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy chief minister.
When asked about his recent remarks about the reshuffle in the state cabinet and the possibility of making Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy CM, Stalin said, “There won’t be any disappointment. But there will be change.”
The CM said this during his visit to his assembly constituency Kolathur to inaugurate completed works and to distribute welfare assistance to the people.
The speculations about making Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy CM have been doing the rounds for many months. There were rumours that this would happen ahead of Stalin's visit to the USA. But that didn't happen.
On August 4, when reporters asked about the demand for making Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy CM, Stalin said, "The demand is getting louder. But the time is not ripe yet for that."
Ahead of boarding the flight for the USA, when asked about a reshuffle in the Cabinet, Stalin said, "Maatram Ondre Maarathathu (Change is the only constant). Wait and See. On September 14, on his return to Chennai from his trip to the USA when asked about a Cabinet reshuffle, Stalin hinted that there would be changes in the State Cabinet.
When asked about the opposition parties' demand for a white paper on the investments attracted during his foreign visits, the Stalin said, "Everyone knows about the white papers issued during their regimes. The investment commitments made during my visit to foreign countries are genuine. Industries Minister TRB Rajaa has given a detailed reply to this and this itself resembles a white paper."
DMK is not a Sankara Mutt to encourage dynastic politics: D Jayakumar
Meanwhile, talking to reporters, AIADMK 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 MK Stalin in the party step by step. In the same fashion, for the past three years, they have been spreading the information that Udhayanidhi Stalin is the Deputy CM. Today, Stalin said there won't be any disappointment - that means, the climax to this speculation has come. Though the Cabinet reshuffle is a preregorative of the Chief Minister, there are umpteen number of senior who have put in enormous work for the DMK. Are they not eligible for this post?"
Meanwhile, reacting to remarks of Stalin about the Cabinet reshuffle, the former governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundarararajan said, "So, the CM said the time is ripening for making Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy CM. They (the DMK) are preparing grounds for the 'coronation' of Udhayanidhi Stalin by spreading this information for quite some time. But as far as the BJP is concerned, when there are many experienced elders in the party, making Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy CM is not good for democracy, and for the government administration.
