Proving twin speculations true in one go, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has elevated Sports Minister and Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, to the post of deputy chief minister and re-inducted former transport minister Senthil Balaji, two days after he got bail in a money laundering case.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, whose elevation has been spoken about for weeks, has been given charge of the Planning and Development ministry - in addition to his existing Youth Welfare and Sports Development portfolio - and has been designated the deputy chief minister of the state. 

It is not yet clear what portfolio will be given to Mr Balaji, who had been behind bars for 15 months after being accused of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate for his involvement in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam that occurred during the AIADMK regime under late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. He was released on bail on Thursday by the Supreme Court, which said "stringent and higher threshold of bail and delay in prosecution cannot go together".

As part of the cabinet reshuffle announced on Saturday, T Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Milk and Dairy Development, Gingee Masthan, Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and K  Ramachandran, Minister for Tourism, have been dropped and three new faces, Govi Chezhiaan, R Rajendran and SM Nasar, will be inducted.

A Raj Bhavan release said Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has approved the chief minister's recommendations and the swearing-in ceremony will take place at 3.30 pm on Sunday.

Poll Preparation

Udhayanidhi Stalin's elevation is being seen as part of the DMK's preparation for the 2026 Assembly elections and an effort to strengthen its second-rung leadership. The Stalin scion - a first-time MLA - had dispelled talk of his lack of political acumen by leading the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, in which the DMK-led alliance swept all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, and had also played key roles in the 2021 Assembly elections and 2019 general elections. 

The promotion is also being read as a move to counter popular Tamil actor Vijay, who launched his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in August, and is set to make his electoral debut in the 2026 state polls. 

As talk of the elevation of Mr Stalin, who had stirred a row by likening Sanatana Dharma to some diseases last year, began to gather pace, the DMK started attracting barbs of dynastic politics from the AIADMK and the BJP. The party has, however, brushed off the charge, saying that he is a democratically-elected MLA and the chief minister has the prerogative to decide his cabinet.

Party sources also pointed out that as sports minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin has been credited with transforming Chennai into an international sporting hub and bringing in events like the Hero Asian Champions Trophy for hockey, beach volleyball and Formula 4 Night Street Racing.