Vijay Expands Tamil Nadu Cabinet with 23 New Ministers, Congress Returns to Power After Decades

Chennai, May 2026 : In a major political and administrative reshuffle aimed at strengthening governance and broadening representation across regions and communities, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday carried out the first major expansion of his Cabinet, inducting 23 new ministers and reorganising several crucial portfolios within the government.

The large-scale expansion comes less than two weeks after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government assumed office and is being viewed as a strategic move to stabilise the new administration while balancing alliance commitments, regional representation, and sector-specific governance priorities.

The Cabinet reshuffle significantly increases the size and administrative reach of the newly formed government, with several departments that were previously unassigned now receiving dedicated ministers.

One of the most politically significant developments was the entry of the Congress party into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet after nearly six decades. Congress Legislature Party leader S. Rajesh Kumar and party MLA P. Viswanathan were sworn in as ministers, marking a major milestone in the alliance between TVK and the Congress.

Rajesh Kumar, MLA from Killiyoor constituency, was allotted the Tourism portfolio, while P. Viswanathan of Melur was entrusted with Higher Education, including Technical Education, Electronics, Science and Technology.

Political observers noted that the inclusion of Congress ministers reflects the Vijay government’s efforts to consolidate alliance unity and ensure broader political participation in governance.

Chief Minister Vijay retained control of key departments including Home, Police, and General Administration. He also brought Special Initiatives and Poverty Alleviation-related subjects directly under his supervision, signalling his intention to maintain close oversight over welfare and governance programmes.

As part of the portfolio reshuffle, Minister N. Anand relinquished responsibilities related to poverty alleviation, while changes were also made to the portfolios held by R. Nirmalkumar, particularly in the Law and Energy departments.

A major change involved senior leader K.A. Sengottaiyan, who was shifted from the Finance Ministry to Revenue and Disaster Management. The crucial Finance, Planning and Development portfolio was handed over to newly inducted minister N. Marie Wilson, indicating the government’s focus on economic management and development planning during its initial phase.

The Cabinet expansion also addressed several long-pending governance sectors by assigning dedicated ministers to specialised departments.

Vinoth was appointed Minister for Agriculture, B. Rajkumar was given charge of Housing, while Kumar R. was entrusted with Artificial Intelligence and Digital Services, reflecting the government’s emphasis on technology-driven governance.

Mohamed Farvas was assigned Labour Welfare and Skill Development, while Jegadeshwari took charge of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment.

The creation of dedicated responsibilities for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and AI-based governance initiatives highlighted the administration’s focus on digital transformation and global Tamil engagement.

Government officials stated that the expanded Cabinet structure would improve administrative efficiency and help accelerate decision-making across departments as the government enters its first full operational phase.

However, the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan in Chennai witnessed a brief moment of controversy and political symbolism when Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar interrupted newly inducted Congress minister S. Rajesh Kumar during the oath-taking process.

Rajesh Kumar, while reading the official oath text, briefly deviated from the prescribed constitutional format and hailed senior Congress leaders including former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

The unscripted political references prompted immediate intervention from Governor Arlekar, who reminded the minister-designate that the remarks were not part of the approved oath text.

“That is not part of your oath,” the Governor remarked during the live ceremony.

Following the interruption, an official approached Rajesh Kumar and directed him back to the authorised text. The Congress leader then completed the oath in accordance with constitutional procedure.

The incident briefly shifted attention from the formal ceremony to the growing political enthusiasm within the newly expanded Cabinet.

Later in the ceremony, several ministers from the ruling TVK also expressed political loyalty through slogans after taking oath.

A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, MLA from Salem South, concluded his oath by raising the slogan, “Vaazhga Thalaivar, Valarga Tamil” (Long live the leader, may Tamil prosper), in praise of Chief Minister Vijay.

Similarly, TVK legislator Thennarasu from Sriperumbudur ended his oath by expressing support for both the party leadership and the organisation.

While the ceremony largely proceeded smoothly, the spontaneous political slogans and symbolic gestures underscored the highly charged political atmosphere surrounding the new government and reflected the growing enthusiasm among ruling alliance members following the party’s rise to power.

The Cabinet expansion is widely seen as a critical step for the Vijay administration as it prepares to implement its governance agenda across welfare, technology, infrastructure, education, and economic development sectors in the coming months.

Political analysts believe the restructuring also signals the government’s attempt to blend administrative experience with new leadership while strengthening coalition management in a politically dynamic Tamil Nadu.

Team Maverick.