Tamil Nadu witnessed a historic political development on Thursday as Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay expanded his cabinet for the first time since taking office earlier this month. The cabinet expansion became a major talking point across the country because it marked the return of the Congress party to the Tamil Nadu government after nearly 59 years.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan at 10 AM in the presence of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who administered the oath of office to the newly inducted ministers. A total of 23 MLAs took oath as ministers in the Vijay-led government. Among them, 21 belong to Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), while two are from the Congress party.
This development is being seen as a significant political moment in Tamil Nadu politics. Congress joining the state cabinet after almost six decades has sparked widespread discussion among political observers and party workers alike. Senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal described the occasion as “historic” and congratulated the party leaders who entered the cabinet.
The two Congress MLAs who joined the cabinet are S. Rajesh Kumar from Killiyoor constituency and P. Viswanathan from Melur constituency. Both leaders are experienced politicians with strong political backgrounds.
S. Rajesh Kumar, a three-time MLA from Kanyakumari district, has long been associated with the Congress party and previously served as the District Congress Committee President for Kanyakumari West. In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Rajesh Kumar secured victory with over 66,000 votes, defeating TVK candidate S. Sabin by a narrow margin of 1,311 votes. His inclusion in the cabinet is expected to strengthen Congress influence in southern Tamil Nadu.
Another Congress leader inducted into the cabinet is P. Viswanathan, a senior politician from Melur in Madurai district. A postgraduate and practicing advocate, Viswanathan has held several important responsibilities within the Congress party over the years. He also served as a Member of Parliament from Kancheepuram constituency in 2009. Currently, he is associated with the All India Congress Committee as in-charge for Telangana affairs. In the 2026 elections, he won the Melur seat with more than 60,000 votes, defeating TVK candidate A. Maduraiveeran by 2,724 votes.
Apart from the Congress ministers, several TVK MLAs also joined the cabinet, including leaders like Srinath, Kamali S, Vijayalakshmi, R.V. Ranjithkumar, Vinoth, Rajeev, Rajkumar, and others from different constituencies across Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister Vijay had earlier taken oath along with nine ministers on May 10 at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium after his party’s remarkable electoral victory. The latest cabinet expansion is seen as an effort to strengthen regional representation and administrative balance within the government.
Political analysts believe the inclusion of Congress ministers indicates a broader alliance strategy by the Vijay-led government. It also reflects changing political equations in Tamil Nadu, where traditional party dynamics are witnessing a major transformation after the emergence of TVK as a dominant political force.
The cabinet expansion has now intensified political discussions across the state, with many closely watching how the TVK-Congress partnership will shape governance and future elections in Tamil Nadu.
