Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK President MK Stalin said on Saturday that there would be a change in his council of ministers, once again lending credence to reports of the impending elevation of his son and sports and youth welfare minister, Udhyanidhi Stalin, as his deputy in the government.

On his return after a fortnight-long successful investment scouting official visit to the United States, Stalin told the media at the airport, “The party is celebrating its 75th foundation day. We fulfill our promises in word and deed. In the emerging scenario, your expectation will also get fulfilled.”

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He was responding to a question whether there would be a cabinet reshuffle since he had made it clear before leaving for the US that ‘Change is the only constant’.

Confirmation of a cabinet expansion by the chief minister has rekindled the speculation of Udhayanidhi’s promotion as the deputy chief minister. Earlier, when asked about the demand from sections of the party, Stalin had hinted that the time is not appropriate, saying “The demand is strong. But it is yet to come to fruition.”

Now, it is obvious that he could no longer postpone it though he is hesitant.

The DMK was launched by Dravidian icon CN Annadurai (Anna) on September 17, 1949 after he parted company with the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) of his mentor and rationalist social reformer ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy. Along with the party’s foundation day, the DMK celebrates the birth anniversary of Anna and Periyar as ‘Mupperum Vizha’. With most of the senior ministers past their prime, Udhayanidhi could be elevated as Deputy CM along with a few young faces under the pretext of infusing fresh blood so as to prepare the party to face the 2026 assembly elections, say analysts.

On the Union government withholding funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme under the pretext that the state is not implementing the New Education Policy of the Centre, Stalin said he would meet the prime minister in person to secure the funds. The school education minister and officials have held discussions with the Centre, where the chief minister disclosed and added that he would also press for funds for projects including the Chennai Metro Rail Phase II.

Asked about the Coimbatore hotelier raising the issue of GST rationalization before Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and later apologising to her, Stalin said, “What the hotelier had raised about the problems in the GST was perfectly justified. The way the finance minister handled the issue is shameful. And, people are watching.”

The DMK and its allies have demanded an apology from Nirmala Sitharaman for coercing the hotelier to tender an apology with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slamming her for humiliating the hotelier. “When the fragile egos of those in power are hurt, it seems humiliation is exactly what they will deliver,” Gandhi had said.