New chapter in Tamil Nadu politics as Udhayanidhi Stalin is sworn in minister

The entire family of the chief minister, including his wife, Durga Stalin; Udhayanidhi’s wife, Kiruthiga; Stalin’s stepsister, Kanimozhi MP; his elder brother, M K Tamilarasu and his family; Dayanidhi Alagiri, son of Stalin’s elder brother M K Alagiri; and Dayanidhi Maran MP were at the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

Senior leaders who attended the ceremony included DMK veterans and ministers such as Duraimurugan, K N Nehru, E V Velu, Udhayanidhi’s contemporary and close friend Anbil Mahesh, who holds the portfolio of school education, and Power Minister V Senthil Balaji.

The main Opposition AIADMK chose to skip the event, which it linked to “family politics”.

After taking on the new position, Udhayanidhi declared that he would work hard to refute the charges of “family politics” levelled against him.

The portfolios of 10 ministers have changed as a result of the appointment of Udhayanidhi to the cabinet.

Udhayanidhi signed three orders shortly after taking office—one to conduct a Chief Minister’s Trophy competition in traditional sports like kabaddi and silambattam at the district and state levels, one to provide a monthly pension of Rs 6,000 each for nine athletes having trouble finding work, and one to declare a cash incentive of Rs 4 lakh to a shooter who won a medal in a world championship.