Udhay Stalin to be elevated as deputy Chief Minister, but unlikely today

CHENNAI: The much-speculated elevation of Tamil Nadu Sports Minister and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy Chief Minister is expected to happen soon, but definitely not on Wednesday.

As speculation of Udhayanidhi’s elevation fueled a media frenzy since Wednesday morning, highly placed DMK sources confided to DT Next that the appointment is unlikely on Wednesday.

Besides the day being considered 'inauspicious', DMK insiders believe that the elevation could coincide with the re-induction of party leader V Senthilbalaji into the cabinet upon his release on bail, which the party is supremely confident of.

A highly placed DMK source disclosed that the high command initially contemplated a thorough reshuffle of the cabinet involving several changes in portfolios and a few sacking/inductions after Senthilbalaji's release, but it was kept in abeyance after the progress of his earlier bail case in the Supreme Court did not inspire confidence in the party leadership. Thereafter, the DMK first family contemplated Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation as deputy Chief Minister without disturbing the existing ministerial berths.

“After the release of Arvind Kejriwal on bail, the high command is 99.9% confident that Balaji would also be released on bail this week. So, there are two options. Either wait for a week to learn the outcome of his bail case and elevate the junior along with a massive reshuffle in the cabinet, or elevate the junior in a few days without disturbing the cabinet,” the party source said.

Pertinently, law was not the only deterrent to Stalin junior’s elevation, which echoed even in Tuesday’s platinum jubilee celebration of the party, with former union minister SS Palanimanickam appealing to Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin to not delay Udhayanidhi’s appointment as deputy CM.

Astrology also seems to be delaying the ascension of the DMK scion. A top-level leader privy to the developments revealed that in all probability, it is unlikely to happen on Wednesday, which is an inauspicious day.

Citing the death of a close relative of Chief Minister’s wife Durga a few days ago, which is the second death in the family within a few weeks, the DMK senior said, “Influential members of the first family do not prefer to do it under such inauspicious circumstances. Formal elevation could happen during the valarpirai (lunar waxing period as per the astrological calendar).”

Chief Minister Stalin only contributed to the hyperactivity of the spin doctors by getting into a huddle with his senior cabinet and party colleagues at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday.

Stalin's Arivalayam meeting enthused the cadre so much that a few anxious among them even ordered sweets and crackers at Arivalayam in anticipation of the announcement at 11.30 am, as was predicted by some news channels. However, no announcement has happened till half past 1 pm on Wednesday, and is unlikely to happen.