Long groomed as his heir to the chief minister's throne and to head the DMK, he cited health reasons for anointing Stalin as the next in command in the government.
In a significant development in Tamil Nadu politics, Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi appointed son MK Stalin (from second wife Dayalu Ammal) the deputy chief minister on Friday. This prepares Stalin, 56, to take up the chief minister’s post as and when Karunanidhi, 85, decides to vacate it.
Media and political circles were abuzz with rumours that Stalin would be named deputy CM ever since he successfully undertook the party’s campaign during the Lok Sabha elections while a spinal surgery left Karunanidhi physically indisposed.
“I’ve arrived at the decision after talking to my senior party colleague Anbazhagan, whom I asked to accept the responsibility. As Anbazhagan [also 86] wasn’t keen because of his age, the natural choice was Stalin,” Karunanidhi said.
“On the advice of the honourable chief minister, his excellency the governor has appointed MK Stalin, minister of rural development and local administration, as the deputy chief minister. The subjects general administration, district revenue officers, industries, minorities welfare, passports, special initiatives and social reforms, hitherto held by the chief minister, are re-allotted to MK Stalin in addition to the subjects now held by him,” an official release from the governor’s office said.
“This is Karunanidhi’s advance birthday gift to his politically preferred son before he turns 86, on June 3. The announcement was waiting to come. He has, perhaps, timed it right as Azhagiri and Dayanidhi have now been accommodated at the Centre. Karunanidhi is feeling the pinch of his ill health and the major spinal surgery that he underwent has further made it difficult for him. He fell ill after just one campaign tour and just about recovered to share the dais with Sonia Gandhi,” a senior political analyst told DNA.
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