Days after Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) formed the government in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Vijay is set to expand his cabinet on May 21 with the induction of 23 new ministers. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10 am at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai, where Governor RN Ravi Arlekar will administer the oath of office to the new ministers, according to an announcement from the Governor’s office. The expansion comes after TVK secured 108 seats in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and formed the government with the support of Congress, Left parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Vijay Took Oath Earlier This Month: Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister at Chennai’s Nehru Indoor Stadium on May10, alongside an initial group of ministers that included N Anand, Sengottaiyan, Adhav Arjuna, Nirmal Kumar, Venkataramanan and Arunraj. While portfolios were allocated to the first batch of ministers, several departments were intentionally left vacant in anticipation of a larger cabinet expansion.
Congress Leaders To Join Cabinet: The latest expansion will formally bring Congress into the Tamil Nadu cabinet for the first time in decades. Among those expected to take oath are Vijay’s close associate and Thoothukudi MLA Srinaath, along with two Congress legislators.
Melur Congress MLA Viswanathan is among the prominent names set to join the ministry. His induction is particularly notable because he won from a general constituency.
Strong Representation For Scheduled Caste Leaders: One of the most significant aspects of the cabinet expansion is the large representation being given to leaders from Scheduled Caste communities. Six Scheduled Caste MLAs are set to take oath as ministers including Arakkonam MLA Gandhiraj, Avinashi MLA Kamali, Rasipuram MLA Lokesh Tamizhselvan, Ottapidaram MLA Madanraja, Sriperumbudur MLA Thennarasu and Melur Congress MLA Viswanathan.
Earlier, Raj Mohan, who was assigned the School Education portfolio, had already been included in the cabinet and also belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. With the addition of the six new ministers, the TVK-led cabinet will now have seven ministers from Scheduled Caste communities. VCK is also expected to receive one ministerial berth, which will further increase Scheduled Caste representation in the Tamil Nadu cabinet to eight ministers overall.
The expanded Tamil Nadu cabinet will have a total strength of 32 ministers, including the nine ministers who have already assumed office and the 23 ministers being sworn in on Thursday. Interestingly, barring Minister Sengottaiyan and Congress MLA Rajeshkumar, almost all ministers in the new cabinet are first-time ministers who contested and won in the recent assembly elections. Political observers say the move reflects TVK’s attempt to project a fresh leadership team rather than relying heavily on experienced political veterans.
Virudhunagar district already has representation through Minister Keerthana. With Jagadeeswari now set to become a minister, the district will gain a second berth in the cabinet. Chennai’s representation is also growing. The capital city already has five ministers – Vijay, N Anand, Adhav Arjuna, Rajmohan and Venkataramanan. Now, RK Nagar MLA Maria Wilson and Velachery MLA Kumar are also expected to join the ministry, further strengthening Chennai’s presence in the cabinet.
The new cabinet will also include three ministers from minority communities, signalling an attempt by the Vijay-led government to maintain broader social and political representation within the administration. The expansion is being closely watched as TVK attempts to balance caste, regional and alliance representation while shaping Tamil Nadu’s first major coalition-style government in decades.
