Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday expanded his cupboard and inducted 23 new ministers to strengthen the coalition authorities. This would be the first time in a long time {that a} southern state will likely be established with out a Dravidian get together.
Governor Rajendra Alrekar took the oath of workplace in Chennai, taking the whole variety of cupboard members to 33.
Of the brand new inductees, 21 belong to the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and two – S Rajesh Kumar from Kiriyoor and P Viswanathan from Melur – are from the Congress. The 2 seats additionally mark the Congress’ return to cupboard workplace in Tamil Nadu after practically 60 years.
The final time the Congress got here to energy in Tamil Nadu was in 1967.
TVK, led by actor-turned-politician Mr. Vijay, was elected as the one largest get together in Tamil Nadu with 108 MLAs within the meeting elections held in April. The Congress and Left events, which had been allied with the DMK even earlier than the polls, supported the TVK to kind the federal government after the ballot outcomes had been introduced this month.
The expanded cupboard consists of seven Dalit ministers, six of whom are from TVK – Mr. Rajmohan (Mr. Egmore), Mr. Rogesh (Mr. Rasipuram), Mr. Mathan Kumar (Mr. Ottapidharam), Mr. Kamali (Mr. Avinashi), Mr. Gandhiraj (Mr. Arakkonam), Mr. Thennarasu (Mr. Sriperumbudur) and one from the Congress.
The brand new cupboard additionally has a second minister from the Brahmin neighborhood. Mr. P. Venkatramanan, who’s already serving as meals minister, was joined by Mr. S. Ramesh from Srirangam.
Story | Mr. Kong joins TVK authorities, Mr. Vijay expands his cupboard by appointing 23 extra ministers
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday expanded his cupboard by inducting 23 MPs, together with two from the Congress, as ministers, marking the revival of the nice outdated get together. pic.twitter.com/DEmMbDGHvQ
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) Could 21, 2026
TVK sources informed ThePrint that the federal government has reserved one slot every for Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and each organizations will likely be included within the subsequent part of growth. VCK has already communicated its need via a letter of curiosity. IUML was scheduled to announce its determination on Thursday afternoon.
The state authorities has successfully barred any prospect of accepting a splinter group from the AIADMK after 25 MLAs supported Vijay throughout the ground check.
Based on individuals conversant in the matter, there was robust resistance from coalition companions such because the VCK and left-wing events over accommodating the AIADMK, which is aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP).
Communist Social gathering of India (CPI) State Secretary P. Shanmugam has clarified the get together’s stand and warned that the CPI will contemplate withdrawing help if an AIADMK member is given a ministerial slot. He alleged that the Left events supported TVK as the one largest get together and prolonged exterior help solely to stop what he known as a “backdoor entry” into the BJP.
In an interview with ThePrint, AIADMK insurgent chief CV Shanmugam distanced himself from any suggestion of ministerial ambitions. “I by no means stated that I wished energy or that I had any expectation of holding energy within the cupboard. Our solely criticism is the management of the get together itself and we didn’t help TVK out of any need,” he stated.
TVK officers equally defined the exclusion in direct phrases. “The get together didn’t contemplate together with them, particularly when the rift throughout the get together has not led to a call and the get together continues to align itself with the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering,” the senior official stated.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has advisable to the Governor a evaluation of portfolio allocation. The adjustments took impact instantly to streamline governance within the TVK-led coalition authorities. Key adjustments embrace assigning the finance portfolio to N. Marie Wilson, transferring Senior Minister KA Sengotaiyan to income and catastrophe administration, assigning fisheries and fishermen welfare to Srinath, and Kamali taking cost of animal husbandry.
Mounted the portfolio
Within the revised record of portfolio launched on Thursday, CM Vijay retained a number of necessary departments together with civic administration and water provide. He added particular initiatives underneath his identify: poverty alleviation and native debt.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Alrekar has accredited a evaluation of the distribution of portfolios and appointments of newly sworn-in ministers, following the suggestions of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. pic.twitter.com/MGAUv53pOK
— IANS (@ians_india) Could 21, 2026
Minister for Girls Welfare was reappointed to Minister Okay. Jegadeshwari. Congress MLA Rajesh Kumar has been made tourism minister and his get together school P. Viswanathan has been given increased schooling. The reshuffle was seen as a balancing act to accommodate regional and allied pursuits within the new authorities.
The Vijay authorities has additionally created a devoted division for synthetic intelligence and appointed TVK’s R. Kumar to additionally take cost of knowledge expertise and digital companies.
Additionally learn: Mr. Vijay will rewrite politics in Tamil Nadu. Get able to construct a long-term benefit
