Udhayanidhi Stalin Appointed Deputy Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu Cabinet Reshuffle

Udhayanidhi, the Tamil Nadu Sports Minister and son of Chief Minister M K Stalin, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. This decision was made during a cabinet reshuffle on Saturday. The reshuffle also saw V Senthil Balaji return to the council of ministers after being granted bail in a money laundering case. Udhayanidhi's promotion comes amid growing support within the party, with an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections.

Many DMK leaders and members have been advocating for Udhayanidhi's elevation, viewing him as a potential future Chief Minister. His grandfather, the late M Karunanidhi, was also a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. According to a Raj Bhavan release, Chief Minister Stalin recommended that Udhayanidhi be given the Planning and Development portfolio in addition to his current roles and be designated as Deputy Chief Minister.

Cabinet Reshuffle and Key Changes

The reshuffle also marked the return of Senthil Balaji to the ministry. After being released from jail on Thursday, speculation about his return was rife. The Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case after 471 days of incarceration. Balaji was previously dismissed by Governor Ravi but later resigned in February this year, which the Governor accepted.

In addition to Balaji's return, several other changes were made in the cabinet. T Mano Thangaraj, Gingee S Masthan, and K Ramachandran were dropped from their respective portfolios. New inductees include Dr Govi Chezhiaan, R Rajendran, and S M Nasar. Nasar had been removed as Milk and Dairy Development minister in an earlier reshuffle.

Portfolio Adjustments

As part of the reshuffle, various ministers received new portfolios. Dr K Ponmudy is now the Minister for Forests, while Siva V Meyyanathan has taken over as Minister for Backward Classes. Dr M Mathiventhan has been assigned Adi Dravidar Welfare. Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu now holds an additional portfolio for Environment and Climate Change.

R S Rajakannappan has transitioned from Backward Classes Welfare to become the Milk and Dairy Development and Khadi minister. These changes reflect strategic adjustments within the cabinet to align with current priorities and challenges faced by the government.

The swearing-in ceremony for the newly appointed ministers is scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 pm at Raj Bhavan. This reshuffle aims to strengthen the ruling party's position ahead of upcoming elections and address key governance areas effectively.