Chennai, Jul 18 (PTI) DMK party cadres and leaders want Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi to be elevated as deputy CM, a move which will be a "huge advantage" for the party in the 2026 assembly elections, a senior party leader said on Thursday.

DMK Organising Secretary R S Bharathi, however, made it clear that party president and CM Stalin will take the final call on the matter.

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Bharathi's comments come amidst reports about the possible elevation of Udhayanidhi ahead of Stalin's proposed US visit next month.

Udhayanidhi was made Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development in his father's Cabinet in December 2022, a year after he won from the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency. He had played a crucial role in the 2021 Assembly election which ended the decade of AIADMK rule in the state.

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His poll campaign displaying a brick to signify that the Centre had not initiated any work on the AIIMS project that was promised for Madurai, had a big impact in bolstering the party's winning prospects at the hustings. He had also campaigned effectively for the party in the 2024 Lok Saba election.

“Chief Minister M K Stalin has to decide on the elevation of Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy CM. This will definitely be announced when it happens,” Bharathi said when asked about reports on Udhayanidhi being anointed as deputy to Stalin.

Party cadres and leaders including seniors like him want Udhayanidhi to become the Deputy CM, he said and added “this is our aspiration too.”

“But it is ultimately the CM who as the party president should decide,” Bharathi told PTI.

Asked if the move will make the DMK gain an upper hand in the next Assembly election, he replied “it will turn out to be a huge advantage to the party in the 2026 Assembly elections if Udhayanidhi is elevated.”

Udhayanidhi, grandson of DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi, would be making history if he is elevated. His CM father had served as Deputy Chief Minister from 2009 to 2011 when Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister.

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