Speculations are rife that the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu is considering elevating Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, as the Deputy Chief Minister in the state.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is a minister in the DMK government, is likely to become the Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu before the CM Stalin travels to the US on August 22, a report in IANS said on Thursday.

The DMK MLA from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency, who is also the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister in Tamil Nadu, was sworn in as a minister in the DMK cabinet in December 2022.

According to a report in India Today, Udhayanidhi was supposed to be made Deputy CM twice this year, but the plan was postponed due to the controversies surrounding the DMK leader.

Stalin was also anointed as the Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu in 2009 when his father M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister. Udhayanidhi Stalin is also likely to follow in his father’s footsteps.

The report further said that Udhayanidhi Stalin will be the face of the DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections as Stalin is unlikely to contest.

The plan to make Udhayanidhi Stalin the Deputy CM was dropped in January this year due to his comments on Sanatana Dharma and later due to the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

In January, Stalin created a controversy after he likened the term ‘Sanatana Dharma’ to diseases like dengue and malaria and said that it should not just be opposed, but “eradicated”.

The DMK government also received flak due to the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, that occurred last month. At least 65 people died after drinking spurious liquor in the Kallakurichi district.