Dr Govi Chezhian, R Rajendran, and S M Nasar were also administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor R N Ravi as Stalin undertook a reshuffle of his three-and-a-half-year-old cabinet.

They were sworn-in in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, his son Udhayanidhi, who had already been designated as Deputy Chief Minister.

Udhayanidhi Stalin has been appointed as Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, while V Senthil Balaji returns to the cabinet as Minister of Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise. The reshuffle also included the induction of three other ministers.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is the Minister for Sports Development and Youth Affairs, did not take oath as Deputy CM on Sunday during the Cabinet reshuffle despite his official appointment.

New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday hit out at the DMK over elevation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udayanidhi as the state’s deputy chief minister, alleging the party's sole focus is on corruption and the progress of the family of its leadership.

In a major political development in Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, was elevated to the position of Deputy Chief Minister.

The oath taking ceremony of the new ministers took place in the presence of CM MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi, who had already been named the deputy CM.

Senior DMK leader V. Senthil Balaji, who recently walked out of prison after spending over 450 days behind bars in connection

According to a Raj Bhavan release, CM Stalin "recommended to the Governor of Tamil Nadu (Ravi) to allot the portfolio of Planning and Development to Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, in addition to his existing portfolios and be designated as Deputy Chief Minister".

Udhayanidhi's elevation to the post of Deputy Chief Minister had been widely anticipated. Before this appointment, he served as the state’s sports minister and will now also oversee the planning and development portfolio.