In the midst of a heat wave of speculations about the possible elevation of Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin has on Saturday - January 13 opened up for the first time about the debate and asserted that there is no such elevation in the making and dispelled the speculations as rumours. 

MK Stalin has strongly dismissed the rumours and urged the people not to divert the vision of the impending youth wing summit of the party. In a statement, MK Stalin said, "After one lie was broken, another one has begun that the posting of Deputy Chief Minister is to be awarded (for Udhayanidhi Stalin). The DMK's Youth Wing Secretary and Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi has already shut the mouths of the rumour-mongers by stating that all ministers are deputies to the Chief Minister." 

The DMK's Youth Wing meeting would be held in Salem on January 21 and it was said that following this meeting, Udhayanidhi Stalin would be elevated as the Deputy Chief Minister. Furthermore, there were several rumours about MK Stalin's health conditions. As he was down with health ailments last year, it was said that he would travel overseas for medical treatment this January.

The reports said that before he leave Chennai, Stalin would make his son and minister Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Deputy Chief Minister. However, on Saturday, the Chief Minister has dotted up the rumours about the elevation and about his health condition. In his statement, MK Stalin further said, "No party cadre should give space to those attempting to divert attention from the objective of the youth wing meeting which is state rights." 

"The Salem meeting's focus is on protecting state rights and promoting the idea of the united opposition coalition - INDIA alliance. Those who are enemies of these objectives are spreading a rumour", MK Stalin added. Several sources said that Udhayanidhi would be elevated as the Deputy Chief Minister as he is rising as the next DMK leader, however, such an elevation would perhaps take place after the 2024 general elections, which will be held in May. 

Dispelling the rumours about his health condition, MK Stalin asserted, "I am healthy, cheerful, I am working, working, working." By slamming the rumours, he said that they are false and baseless. Had Udhyanaidhi Stalin become the Deputy Chief Minister, he would have followed the footsteps of his father, MK Stalin who had served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2009, when his late father and DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister.