Udhayanidhi Stalin Is MK Stalin's Deputy, Senthil Balaji Back In Cabinet

Three Tamil Nadu MLAs took the oath of office as ministers in the DMK government this afternoon as part of a cabinet reshuffle in Chief Minister MK Stalin's team. DMK leader Senthil Balaji, who spent 15 months in jail in a money laundering case before the Supreme Court granted him bail, was reinstated as minister and took the oath today. The three other MLAs who took oath as ministers today are Govi Chezhian, SM Nasar and KS Masthan.

This cabinet rejig is also significant because it marks the elevation of MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister. He is the third generation leader in his family to get a key role in the Tamil Nadu government after his grandfather and DMK veteran late M Karunanidhi and his father MK Stalin. The 46-year-old leader did not take oath at today's event because he was a minister before his elevation to the Number 2 post in the state government. He was seen congratulating the four ministers after the oath ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

Earlier today, Udhayanidhi Stalin said in a social media post that 'Deputy Chief Minister' is not a position but a responsibility for him. He also visited the memorials of his grandfather M Karunanidhi and social activist Periyar.