Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Journey, Udhayanidhi Stalin Movies, Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK, Deputy CM, Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin

The ’29 Paisa’ campaign: The BJP in its sights

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Udhayanidhi launched the ’29 Paisa’ campaign targeting the BJP-led Centre. He always referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “29 paisa Modi” and claimed that for every rupee paid by the state as tax, the Center returned only 29 paisa. This strengthened the ruling DMK’s narrative claiming that Tamil Nadu has been neglected by the BJP government.

Promoted to deputy prime minister

On September 28, 2024, Udhayanidhi Stalin was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His rise within the DMK was relatively rapid, especially compared to his father, MK Stalin, who spent over three decades in the party before becoming deputy leader in 2009.

Leadership of the youth wing and ideological public relations

Udhayanidhi was appointed DMK youth wing secretary in July 2019 and played a key role in reconnecting the youth with the Dravidian ideology. He organized workshops, conferences and nationwide rallies to inculcate the Dravidian spirit among the younger members of the party. He also used technology to increase membership in the party, thereby increasing youth influence.

2021 Assembly Polls: Single Brick Campaign

In the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, Udhayanidhi led the ‘Single Brick’ campaign to highlight the BJP-led Centre’s failure to launch the Madurai AIIMS project announced in the 2015-16 Union Budget. This campaign further cemented his reputation as an effective communicator capable of connecting with the masses.

Controversy over Sanatan Dharma and DMK’s ideological stance

In 2023, Udhayanidhi sparked nationwide controversy with his comments on Sanatan Dharma. The DMK stood by him and argued that his comments reflected the party’s long-held belief in eradicating social practices that harm the backward classes, castes, tribes and women. Although his comments were controversial, they helped the party strengthen its ideological stance in Tamil Nadu.

Family legacy and influence

As the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and grandson of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, Udhayanidhi enjoyed a unique advantage in his political career. His family background as well as his leadership qualities in the youth sector and as Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare strengthened his image within the party.

Film career and transition into politics

Before his political rise, Udhayanidhi was known as a film producer, distributor and actor. He has been active in politics since 2016 and serves as editor of the DMK mouthpiece “Murasoli”. His political work intensified when he was elected MLA from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni in 2021 and later became Sports and Youth Welfare Minister in 2022.

Just like his success as a lawyer who delivered justice in his film ‘Manthian’, DMK cadres are confident of him winning more laurels, especially in the 2026 assembly polls when Vijay’s ace actor Tamizha Vetri Kazhagam will face off for the first time a judge will take part in the election campaign.