Reporter's Diary: Tamil Nadu power corridor abuzz over Team 'deputy CM' Udhayanidhi Stalin

CHENNAI: In the wake of the media reports stating that post June 4 election results, DMK youth wing leader Udayanidhi Stalin may be elevated as the deputy chief minister, the officials in the Fort St George and the personal assistants of the elected MLAs are enquiring with the scribes to share the details they know.

“Who will be the important IAS officers deputed in the office of deputy chief minister? When is the coronation planned? Is there any cabinet shuffle?” are among the questions top babus and their office staff want to know.

There are also a few MLAs in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur who want to know about the bifurcation news of the DMK district units that are also making rounds for some weeks. A personal assistant of a DMK MLA struck up a quick conversation with this scribe at TNEB headquarters just to confirm the rumours related to the promotion of Chinnavar (Udayanidhi). He also shared his number with this correspondent requesting multiple times to keep him updated on anything related to jailed DMK MLA Senthilbalaji.

Meanwhile, a section of office assistants are also pinning hopes that a new deputy CM office will help them gain better access to power centres as the CM office seems to be cordoned off for lower-rung government staff like drivers, PAs and office assistants.

At present Udayanidhi is seen as a sports minister, but once elevated as a deputy CM, a few seniormost IAS officials will be posted and officials wanted to know the probable choices, remarked a secretariat official recalling that former IAS officer K Dheenabandhu was powerful when he was secretary to the then deputy chief minister MK Stalin.