Udhayanidhi Stalin’s birthday revives speculation on his elevation in party and government yet again

As has been the case in the past, the 46^th birthday of the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Udhayanidhi Stalin was celebrated with fanfare and the usual speculation on whether he would be elevated to the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the state cabinet soon.  

Huge full-page advertisements highlighting the welfare activities and good deeds of the DMK heir-apparent adorned major dailies to mark the occasion.  Social media was also abuzz with birthday wishes from almost all ministers and senior party leaders including Chief Minister MK Stalin besides other major political parties including the VCK chief Thirumavalavan.  MNM leader and actor Kamal Hassan, in his birthday wish, pointed out that ‘younger brother Udhayanidhi Stalin was someone who accomplished notable achievements in everything he took up within a short span of time’ while TN BJP Chief K Annamalai questioned the DMK government for flooding the Gopalapuram residence of the Sports Minister with 380 police personnel including two deputy commissioners of police and 10 assistant commissioners. Kollywood, for its part, also flooded social media with birthday wishes for the Udhaya, whom they identify as one of them.

A section of the media also speculated on whether the DMK scion would be soon elevated in the party as well as in the government considering the unprecedented build up for his birthday. For the past few days, the DMK mouthpiece Murasoli has also been republishing letters written by DMK stalwart and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to the cadre urging them to pave way for the youth way back in 2007 to coincide with the birthday of the actor-politician. Meanwhile, the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development began his day paying floral tributes to DMK founder Anna and veteran leader and his grandfather M Karunanidhi.

After getting elected from the Chepauk – Triplicane constituency in the 2021 assembly polls, Udhayanidhi Stalin was sworn in as Minister in Youth Welfare and Sports Development, in the state cabinet in December 2022.