Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu’s new Deputy CM, says ‘this is not a position but...’

Tamil Nadu's new Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said on Sunday, “This is not just a position but an additional responsibility.” As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the recent cabinet reshuffle in Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi said that he will respond to the criticism through his work.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, a DMK leader and the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, was elevated as the Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday. He is currently serving as Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development.

Udhayanidhi will also take on the portfolio of planning and development. He is likely to take the oath as the Deputy CM later on Sunday.'

'I accept all your criticisms'

In his first reaction after his elevation as the Tamil Nadu Deputy CM, Udhayanidhi said, “Last night, the Chief Minister gave me an additional charge, announcing me as the Deputy Chief Minister. Four new ministers are taking oath today and I wish them all the best.”

He expressed his gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and said, “This is not a position but an additional responsibility, my thanks to all who have expressed their wishes.”

“I accept all your criticisms and will respond to them through my work,” Udhayanidhi was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.

BJP slams Udhayanidhi Stalin's elevation

In a self-made video, Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy said that Udhayanidhi Stalin does not have the "maturity" to hold the post of a minister, let alone be the Deputy CM.

"Appointing ministers or deputy chief ministers is the prerogative of the Chief Minister, we don't deny that. He has all the right. But Udhayanidhi Stalin does not have enough maturity to become not only the Deputy Chief Minister but also a minister," the BJP leader said.

He added, "A person becomes a minister, degrading, demeaning, saying that he will eradicate sanathan dharma, and you don't apologise for that. How can he become the Deputy Chief Minister?"

Meanwhile, BJP leader N Ramchander Rao also criticized Udhayanidhi Stalin's appointment as Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu, claiming it reflects family interests over national and public welfare, labeling it a classic example of family rule within the INDI alliance.