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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam · MLA Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni · AC 19

Udhayanidhi Stalin

Udhayanidhi Stalin retained Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni (AC 19) in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election as the DMK candidate, polling 62,992 votes and winning by a margin of 7,140 over TVK's D. Selvam — a sharply narrower verdict than his 2021 sweep. Son of CM M. K. Stalin and grandson of late CM M. Karunanidhi, Udhayanidhi served as Tamil Nadu's Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development from December 2022 and was elevated to Deputy Chief Minister in September 2024 — the third person and the youngest to hold that office. Before politics he was a Tamil film actor and the founder of Red Giant Movies, the production house behind Maamannan, Mookuthi Amman and Aadhavan.

US
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

Udhayanidhi Stalin

DMKMLA · Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni
Born
27 November 1977 in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu (48 yrs)
Constituency
Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni · AC 19
District
Chennai
Party
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Profession
Politician (DMK Youth Wing 2019- ); former film actor and producer; founder of Red Giant Movies (2008-2023)
2026 result
won by 7,140 votes
Education
B.A., English, St.Thomas Arts & Science College, Koyambedu, Chennai, March 2006-2009

At a glance

2026 votes
62,992
in the assembly election
Margin
7,140
votes ahead of runner-up
Constituency
Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni
AC 19 · Chennai
Party
DMK
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Field size
27
candidates contested
Age
36 yrs
as of 2026
Declared assets
₹1.60 cr
ECI affidavit, 2026
Criminal cases
0 pending
declared in affidavit

Education

Highest qualificationGraduate

ECI affidavit (2026)

0 pending criminal cases declared in the 2026 ECI affidavit. Total declared assets: ₹1.60 cr.

ItemValue
Total declared assets₹1.60 cr
Liabilities₹87.60 L
Source: Election Commission of India affidavit, March 2026 — collated by myneta.info (view live page).

Career timeline

The 2026 win — Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni

Udhayanidhi Stalin polled 62,992 votes, defeating Selvam . D (TVK) by a margin of 7,140.

#CandidatePartyVotes
1Udhayanidhi StalinDMK62,992
2Selvam . DTVK55,852
3AadirajaramAIADMK16,507
4AyshaNTK2,971
5NotaNOTA643

→ Full Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni (AC 19) seat page · district: Chennai

Family

Son of M. K. Stalin (8th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, sitting until 5 May 2026) and Durga Stalin. Grandson of late former CM M. Karunanidhi. Married filmmaker Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi in 2002 — they have a son, Inban, and a daughter, Tanmaya. Cousin to actor Arulnithi and former union minister Dayanidhi Azhagiri. Self-described atheist.

Party & ideology

Udhayanidhi sits squarely in the DMK's Dravidian-rationalist tradition — atheist, anti-caste, claiming descent from the Periyar-Karunanidhi-Anna lineage on social justice and language pride. His most-quoted political position is the September 2023 call to 'eradicate' Sanatana Dharma, which he framed as an attack on caste hierarchy in line with B. R. Ambedkar and Periyar; the statement triggered legal challenges and a Supreme Court rebuke on ministerial restraint. Within the DMK, he is widely seen as M. K. Stalin's political heir — though the 2026 verdict, which cut his Chepauk margin from over 60,000 in 2021 to roughly 7,000 and stripped DMK of power, has reopened the succession question.

Notable awards & recognition

Notable statements

I am ready to face the legal consequences. I stand by what I said. — on the Sanatana Dharma row, September 2023

Official channels

X (personal)X (office)Instagram

FAQ

Who is Udhayanidhi Stalin?

Udhayanidhi Stalin (b. 27 November 1977) is the DMK MLA from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni (AC 19), the outgoing Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, son of CM M. K. Stalin and grandson of M. Karunanidhi. Before politics he was a Tamil film actor and the founder of Red Giant Movies.

How did he do in the 2026 election?

He retained Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni with 62,992 votes and a margin of 7,140 over TVK's D. Selvam. The seat held for DMK, but the cushion narrowed sharply from the 2021 sweep, mirroring DMK's broader losses to TVK.

What portfolios did he hold as Deputy CM?

From September 2024 to May 2026 he held Youth Welfare, Sports Development, Planning & Development, Special Programme Implementation, Poverty Alleviation and Rural Indebtedness — making him one of the most heavily-portfolioed Deputy CMs in Tamil Nadu's history.

What was the Sanatana Dharma controversy?

On 2 September 2023, at a Chennai conference, Udhayanidhi called for Sanatana Dharma to be 'eradicated', comparing it to diseases like dengue and malaria. The remark drew complaints across several states; the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance and on 4 March 2024 cautioned him that ministers must exercise restraint in public speech. He defended the comment as in line with Periyar and Ambedkar.

What films did he act in?

His acting credits include Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012, debut), Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal (2014), Manithan (2016), Gethu (2016), Kanne Kalaimaane (2019), Psycho (2020) and Maamannan (2023, his final film). As producer through Red Giant Movies, he backed Kuruvi, Aadhavan, 7 Aum Arivu, Manmadan Ambu, Mookuthi Amman and many others.

Sources