Minister Raja Kannappan described Udhayanidhi as the deputy chief minister before correcting it to 'prospective deputy chief minister'.
Published Aug 20, 2024 | 11:37 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 20, 2024 | 11:37 AM
MK Stalin with DMK leaders. (Supplied)
Tamil Nadu politics is busy discussing the effect Chief Minister MK Stalin’s upcoming US trip would have on the state Cabinet.
Will there be a change in the Cabinet when the chief minister leaves for a 17-day trip? Or will he travel without changing the Cabinet, similar to last January’s foreign trip?
Recently, there have been reports that Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin — son of Stalin — might be elevated as the deputy chief minister and there could be a reshuffle in the Cabinet. Rumours are rife that some ministers may be replaced with new faces.
Stalin is travelling to the US on 27 August to attract investments to the state. According to the industrial department, he will stay there for 17 days and meet prospective investors.
The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has completed three years and only one minister — SM Nasar — was sacked from the Cabinet.
The additions to the Cabinet were Udayanidhi and TRB Raja. At the same time, a few ministerial portfolios were reshuffled.
However, there is reportedly a growing demand among ministers and other DMK leaders to make Udhayanidhi the deputy chief minister.
Stalin — also the DMK chief — said that the request had been received, adding: “The time was not yet ripe.”
Since Stalin would be in the US for more than two weeks, there were reports that the deputy chief minister’s responsibility and some key ministerial portfolios would be transferred to Udayanidhi.
If an announcement is made in this regard, it is expected that the new ministers will be sworn in before the chief minister goes abroad.
It is said that if there is a Cabinet reshuffle, Ministers R Gandhi and Mano Thangaraj might be removed from the Cabinet, making way for some fresh faces.
Similarly, it seems that the DMK MLAs from the delta districts may be given the opportunity for ministerial posts. There are also reports that Nasar is likely to be reinstated.
However, when the chief minister went on an eight-day trip to Spain in January, no change was made in the Cabinet.
Ahead of his trip, a Cabinet meeting was held on 13 August and a meeting of DMK district secretaries was held on 16 August.
In both meetings, the chief minister stressed: “Even if I go abroad, I will keep an eye on your works“.
Subsequently, it was widely discussed among the party cadres that there may not be any changes in the Cabinet similar to when he went abroad in January.
Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a slip of the tongue, Minister Raja Kannappan described Udhayanidhi as the deputy chief minister before correcting it to the prospective deputy chief minister.
On 10 August, a debit card distribution ceremony was held in Ramanathapuram for students who are the beneficiaries of the Tamil Puthalvan scheme, an allotment of ₹1,000 per month.
During the event, Rajakannappan said that the skill development programme under the Ministry of Sports headed by Udayanidhi Stalin was functioning very well.
“That department is handled by our deputy chief minister…” he said, instantly adding: “Minister Udayanidhi will be declared deputy chief minister only after 19 August. It should not be spoken before that.”
Based on what he said, if there is a change in the Cabinet, the announcement may be made on 19 August or 20 August, and it is said that the swearing-in ceremony is planned to be held before the chief minister goes abroad.
The question of whether the same Cabinet will continue without change and whether Udhayanidhi become the second in command will be answered in a week.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
