Udhayanidhi Stalin dismisses Deputy CM speculation as ‘rumour’

CHENNAI: Dismissing as ‘rumours’ the media reports about his likely elevation to the office of Deputy Chief Minister, state sports minister and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday said that the post of DMK youth wing secretary would always remain close to his heart.

Addressing youth wing functionaries at its headquarters ‘Anbagam’ in the city, Udhayanidhi said that the media reports about his elevation as Deputy CM are mere rumours and gossip.

“Some of you have read the media gossip (about my elevation to the post of deputy CM) and echoed the same views here hoping that it would set the platform for your elevation in future,” Udhayanidhi mockingly said in the meeting organised in commemoration of the 45th year of the DMK youth wing and his fifth year as its secretary.

“Like our leader (Stalin) always says, no matter what posts I secure, the post of DMK youth wing secretary will always be close to my heart. When media persons asked me if I’m becoming the deputy CM, I told them that all ministers (of DMK) would be in support of our Chief Minister. All organisers gathered here would be in support of our CM. No matter how many posts are given to me, the post of the DMK youth wing secretary will be the closest to my heart,” the minister reiterated, putting to bed the latest round of speculation about his elevation in the government.

Rumours about Udhayanidhi’s elevation did waves not so long ago during the DMK youth wing’s state conference held in Salem a few months ago when a few leaders like state school education minister Mahesh Poyyamozhi publicly proposed Udhayanidhi for deputy CM, a thought also seconded by many senior leaders in the same meeting and later.

With Chief Minister Stalin reportedly set to travel to the US anytime in the coming weeks, the speculation surrounding Stalin junior’s elevation gained more traction in the political and media circles alike in Tamil Nadu this time.