New Delhi: Newly appointed deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has taken oath at Chennai’s Raj Bhavan today, September 29.
Speculation about his elevation as deputy CM had been rife in the state for some time. Before his appointment, he was sports minister of the state. Udhayanidhi will also be the state minister for planning and development.
Chief minister M.K. Stalin had said a few days before his elevation, according to PTI, “There will be no disappointment, there will be change.” Udhayanidhi is M.K. Stalin’s son.
Along with Udhayanidhi, four more DMK leaders were added to the cabinet. This include V Senthil Balaji who was last week given bail by the Supreme Court, Dr Govi Chezhiaan, R. Rajendran and S.M. Nasar.
Balaji was included in the cabinet after the Supreme Court granted him bail two days ago in a money laundering case in connection with which he had spent 15 months in jail. He was arrested in a cash-for-jobs scam by the Enforcement Directorate when he was a minister in the previous AIADMK government.
“The case which was initiated against me was a fake case and was just a political vendetta. I will overcome and win this fake case legally by facing court. I am obliged to DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin,” Hindustan Times reported as Balaji saying.
Dr K Ponmudy, who earlier served as higher education minister, will now be the minister for forests, Times of India reported.
Three ministers have also been dropped from the cabinet. These are T Mano Thangaraj (Minister of Milk and Dairy Development), Gingee KS Masthan (Minister of Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare) and K Ramachandran (Minister of Tourism), India Today reported.
