From silver screen Star to Deputy cm of tamil Nadu: Udhayanidhi Stalin's Rapid Ascent

Udhayanidhi stalin, the son of tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. stalin, has been appointed Deputy chief minister, joining the ranks of successful South indian leaders who have made a mark in both cinema and politics.

As the minister for sports Development and youth Affairs, Udhayanidhi will officially take the oath as Deputy cm on sunday during a cabinet reshuffle, according to high-level sources in the Chief Minister's Office. He is the third person to hold the Deputy chief minister position in the state, following his father M.K. stalin and AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam.

As a third-generation leader from the DMK's founding family, Udhayanidhi follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, M. Karunanidhi, who served multiple terms as chief minister, and his father, who assumed the role in 2021. After joining the stalin cabinet as a minister in december 2022, he marked the continuation of family leadership in tamil Nadu.

Udhayanidhi began his career in the film industry as a producer and distributor with his company red Giant Movies, producing notable films like kuruvi (2008) and aadhavan (2009). He transitioned to acting with the romantic comedy oru kal oru kannadi (2012) but shifted his focus entirely to politics in 2023.

Currently, he leads the DMK's youth wing and has campaigned extensively across tamil Nadu for both the 2021 assembly elections and the upcoming 2024 lok sabha elections.

However, Udhayanidhi has attracted controversy for his remarks at a september 2023 conference organized by the tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association, where he stated that “sanatana cannot be simply opposed, but had to be eradicated,” labeling it contrary to social justice and equality. His comments sparked widespread backlash from various political factions and drew criticism from the madras High Court.

In response, senior supreme court lawyer Vineet Jindal reported his comments to the delhi Police, describing them as “provocative, inciting, and defamatory.” A letter signed by 262 prominent citizens was sent to Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, urging the supreme court to address the issue. The supreme court initiated an inquiry and, during a march 4, 2024 hearing, chastised Udhayanidhi for allegedly misusing his freedom of speech in connection with the filed FIRs.

Despite these challenges, Udhayanidhi has maintained strong support within the DMK leadership and grassroots, effectively managing the party's efforts during the 2024 lok sabha elections as he engaged with cadres throughout tamil Nadu.
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Balasahana Suresh

30/09/2024 08:49 PM