Udhayanidhi Stalin elevated as deputy chief minister

DMK’s Youth Wing secretary, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, and film actor, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has been elevated as Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the much-awaited Tamil Nadu Cabinet reshuffle..

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan on Sunday at 3.30 P.M.

According to an official release from Raj Bhavan, Mr. Udhayanidhi will be ‘allotted the portfolio of Planning and Development, in addition to his existing portfolios’.

Chief Minister Stalin has also recommended that former Minister V. Senthilbalaji, who was recently released from Puzhal prison after being arrested in 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, Dr. Govi Chezhiaan, R. Rajendran and S.M. Nasar also be inducted in the Council of Ministers, which Governor R.N. Ravi has accepted.

Chief Minister Stalin has dropped T. Mano Thangaraj, Minister of Milk and Diary Development, Gingee K.S. Masthan, Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and Minister for Tourism, K. Ramachandran, from the Council of Ministers.

Chief Minister Stalin has also rejigged his cabinet with Dr. K. Ponmudy, who leaves the office as Minister for Higher Education and takes over as Minister for Forests. Siva V. Meyyanathan, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, has been made the Minister for Backward Classes Welfare. As a result, R.S. Rajakannappan will take over as the Minister for Milk and Diary Development and Khadi.