Call to elevate Udhayanidhi Stalin grows louder

Twice in less than a month, Udhayanidhi’s friend and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has publicly appealed for the elevation of Stalin junior to the status of a cabinet minister. 

Around a fortnight after expressing his desire, Mahesh has increased the pitch and said it was the desire of the people to see the Chepauk MLA as a minister.

The debutant minister who also hails from a family of DMK loyalists stated his intention at a function on Tuesday. As if that were not enough, Municipal Administration minister and DMK principal secretary KN Nehru joined the chorus and said the Chief Minister’s son deserves to become a minister.

In an interview to a private news channel, Nehru said, “He has the potential to become a minister. We also welcome it.” Curiously, the two ministers close to the DMK leadership are not the only ones to campaign for the scion of the Stalin family.

A few days ago, a Congress functionary from TN asked CM Stalin to make Udhayanidhi the deputy CM, something even the DMK loyalists have not proposed so far.

Incidentally, the latest outcry from the DMK seniors has put to bed speculation about a possible revival of the direct mayor election. It was widely rumoured that a direct mayor election could be revived to catapult Udhayanidhi’s political rise.

DMK sources privy to the development disclosed that cabinet berth was high on the wish list of the Chepauk MLA and the party was not favourably disposed to electing mayors directly. The district secretaries also favour indirect election as the election of mayors by councillors would offer them a firm grip over the mayorship.