Vijay Retains Key Portfolios as Tamil Nadu Government Completes Cabinet Allocation

Chennai, May 2026 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has retained several of the most powerful and influential departments in the state government, including Home, Police, and Public Administration, as the newly formed administration completed the allocation of portfolios among cabinet ministers sworn in earlier this month.

The official notification approving the portfolio distribution was issued after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar accepted the recommendations made by the Chief Minister. The move marks a significant administrative milestone for the new government, which assumed office on May 10 following the Assembly elections.

The allocation of departments provides the first clear indication of the governance priorities of the Vijay-led administration. By retaining direct control over key sectors such as law and order, administration, urban governance, and welfare programmes, the Chief Minister appears to be positioning himself at the centre of the state’s policy and decision-making framework.

Apart from Home and Police, Vijay will also oversee departments including Special Programme Implementation, Municipal Administration, Urban Water Supply, Women Welfare, Youth Welfare, Child Welfare, and welfare schemes related to senior citizens and differently abled persons. Political observers view the decision as an attempt to maintain close supervision over core governance and public service sectors during the early phase of the government.

The allocation also reflects a balance between experienced political figures and younger leaders in the cabinet.

Senior leader K.A. Sengottaiyan has been entrusted with the crucial Finance portfolio, including pensions and pension allowances, placing him in charge of managing the state’s fiscal planning and expenditure.

N. Anand has been assigned Rural Development and Water Resources, a department expected to play a key role in irrigation management, rural infrastructure, and poverty alleviation programmes. Given Tamil Nadu’s recurring concerns over water management and agricultural sustainability, the portfolio is considered highly significant.

Aadhav Arjuna will handle Public Works and Sports Development, while Dr K.G. Arunraj has been placed in charge of Health, Medical Education, and Family Welfare. The health department is expected to remain a major focus area amid efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and public health delivery across the state.

P. Venkataramanan has been entrusted with Food and Civil Supplies, overseeing the public distribution system and essential commodities management. R. Nirmalkumar will manage Energy Resources and Law, including electricity, courts, prisons, and legislative affairs.

Rajmohan has been given responsibility for School Education, Tamil Development, and Information and Publicity. The department is expected to play an important role in implementing educational reforms and promoting Tamil language and cultural initiatives.

Dr T.K. Prabhu has been assigned Natural Resources and mining-related sectors, while Industries and Investment Promotion has been entrusted to Selvi S. Keerthana, who is the youngest member of the cabinet. Her appointment to a key economic portfolio is being viewed as an effort to bring youthful leadership into industrial development and investment-related policymaking.

With the portfolio allocation now formally completed, the Vijay government is expected to move towards policy implementation, administrative restructuring, and preparations for its first major Assembly session.

The new administration is also likely to focus on delivering key electoral promises while shaping its governance model in the coming months. Political analysts believe the concentration of important departments under the Chief Minister indicates an emphasis on strong central coordination within the government as it begins its tenure.

Dec 2025

Team Maverick.