CHENNAI: The elevation of minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to the third rank in the State Cabinet was formalised on Monday after he occupied the seat next to Leader of the House Duraimurugan in the State Assembly. In the first session after his elevation as the Deputy Chief Minister of the State, Udhayanidhi was seated third from Chief Minister MK Stalin in the treasury bench on the opening day of the two-day Assembly session which began here on Monday.

The changed seating arrangement also officially demonstrated a tilt in the power equation in the DMK pecking order. Earlier, members of the DMK legislature party, including a few ministers, and a few alliance party leaders in the House approached the young Deputy CM and greeted him on the well of the House as Udhayanidhi attempted to occupy his new seat of power in the Assembly.

Udhayanidhi taking up the third place in the House is seen important as principal opposition AIADMK is turning the heat on the ruling party over various public issues.