In a recent session of the Lok Sabha, several DMK MPs praised Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, as they took their oaths. This move invited significant criticism from the BJP, who accused the DMK of promoting dynastic politics.
Senior DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran ended his oath with a series of slogans, including "Long live Tamil, Long live Kalaignar, Long live Periyar, Long live Anna, Long live Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, Long live Udhayanidhi."
Coimbatore MP Ganapathy Rajkumar referred to Udhayanidhi Stalin as their future leader, saying, "Long live our future Udhayanidhi Stalin." Similarly, Vellore MP Kathir Anand echoed this sentiment, stating, "Long live Tamil Nadu, may DMK win, long live Thalapathy, our future Udhayanidhi."
Other DMK MPs who praised Udhayanidhi included Kanchipuram MP G Selvam, Salem MP TM Selvaganapathy, Kallakurichi MP Malaiyarasan, Arani MP Tharaniventhan, and Tiruvannamalai MP CN Annadurai. However, some senior leaders like TR Baalu, A Raja, and Thanga Tamil Selvan did not mention Udhayanidhi and adhered strictly to the oath text.
This praise came shortly after Udhayanidhi Stalin was granted bail by a city court in Bengaluru in a case related to his controversial remarks about Sanatana Dharma.
Reacting to the DMK MPs' statements, the BJP criticized them as an example of sycophancy and dynastic politics. Tamil Nadu BJP leader Karthik Gopinath shared a collage of videos showing nine MPs hailing Udhayanidhi and commented on the quality of the DMK MPs from Tamil Nadu, calling them a "gang of sycophants trying to please their master."
