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The rumour mills in Tamil Nadu are abuzz with speculation that Udhayanidhi Stalin may be named Deputy Chief Minister soon. The 47-year-old dynast, son of the current CM MK Stalin, currently serves as the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development following his election from the Chepauk constituency in 2021. Udhayanidhi may have the family pedigree, but he is still a relatively young face in Tamil Nadu politics.
The timing, thus, is significant. DMK may soon face its biggest challenge in years, taking on both its archrival AIADMK, and immensely popular actor Vijay's newly launched new political outfit, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in the upcoming state elections in 2026. Chief Minister Stalin, who is the son of the former Chief Minister Late M Karunanidhi, would be 73 years old by the time the state goes to polls again.
Opposition parties have already been citing unconfirmed reports of Stalin's ill-health to question his fitness for the job, -- something the family and the party has repeated dismissed. On September 4, the Tamil Nadu CM posted a video of himself cycling on the streets of Chicago, possibly in an attempt to assure his supporters. Evening’s calm sets the stage for new dreams.
pic.twitter.com/IOqZh5PYLq — M.
K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 4, 2024 However, the 71-year-old Stalin on a cycle in Chicago is no match for the youthful vibe Vijay brings, even at the age of 50. Vijay's lack of political baggage, and a massive fan following, is an enviable advantage even against the relatively younger, and politically experienced, Udhayanidhi.
The latest flux in Tamil Nadu politics Local media reports suggest an on-going churn in Tamil Nadu's political landscape which may alter equations within alliances, if not entire coalitions. Vijay's entry, and the recent break up between the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its national ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has opened up the arena for a multi-cornered fight in 2026. DMK and its arch rival AIADMK have enjoyed an effective duopoly in the state's political arena for decades.
In recent years, the two parties, and their respective coalition partners, have consistently cornered at least 80% of the votes, with the rest going to newer parties like Seeman's Naam Tamilar Katchi. Vijay's entry will disrupt this equation, as violently as in some of his movies. A five cornered fight, assuming BJP and AIADMK do not reunite, is likely to splinter vote banks.
In such a situation, even a sub-30% vote share could be the winning number. Consolidating the support base is thus essential. ALSO READ: The BJP in Tamil Nadu is a raging startup — but is there a product-market fit? The current coalitions may be cracking too In a multi-cornered fight, coalition partners become priceless.
They also provide smaller parties a bigger stack of chips with which to negotiate. Some Congress leaders in the state seem to have started flexing their muscle already. As Congress' state unit chief Selvaperunthagai said within weeks of the latest Lok Sabha election results, "How long are we going to be dependent on DMK?" Despite being the top two parties by a mile, DMK and AIADMK will have to work harder to keep their flock together and prepare for one or more of the other parties being lured into rival alliances.
Alternatively, they could choose to forge new alliances in a bid for power. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's generous praise for Karunanidhi at a recent event organised for the late patriarch's birth centenary led to widespread speculation that the BJP and DMK, who have been the farthest away from each other on ideology, may be warming up to each other again. The Defence Minister is not the only one.
H Raja, who was BJP's national secretary from 2014 to 2020, and is famous for his scathing criticism of the DMK, displayed a significantly toned down version of himself in a recent interview. Will BJP and DMK form an alliance again? The party's national leadership will decide, was Raja's answer. Other parties may also opt for similar tactical manouvres, given the open contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu state assembly election is likely to be.
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