The Tamil Nadu government led by C. Joseph Vijay is set for its first Cabinet expansion on Thursday. The move aims to strengthen the ruling coalition by having Congress formally join the ministry and fill key vacant portfolios. The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Governor’s residence in Guindy, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administering the oath of office in the presence of Chief Minister Vijay and other senior leaders.
Sources suggest that two Congress legislators are likely to be inducted into the ministry. The Cabinet expansion follows the political developments post the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results on May 4, which led to a fractured mandate with no single party securing a majority in the 234-member Assembly. Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the largest party but initially lacked the numbers to form a government.
The political landscape changed after Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended support to the Vijay-led coalition. This backing enabled the coalition to surpass the majority mark required to form the government. Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10 with nine ministers, and the government’s strength increased during the Assembly trust vote when 25 AIADMK legislators supported the government.
Despite the allocation of portfolios to the initial ministers on May 16, crucial departments like Agriculture, Forests, Revenue, Housing, Cooperatives, and MSME remain vacant. The Left parties have affirmed their decision to provide external support and expressed no intention to join the Cabinet. They have also cautioned against offering ministerial positions to AIADMK dissidents.
