Congress to join Tamil Nadu cabinet after 59 years as Vijay expands ministry

For the first time in nearly six decades, the Congress party is set to return to the Tamil Nadu cabinet, with two of its MLAs due to be sworn in as ministers in the government led by C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday.

The development follows approval from Mallikarjun Kharge for the induction of Congress legislators S. Rajesh Kumar and P. Viswanathan into the state ministry. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Raj Bhavan in Guindy, where Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will administer the oath of office.

The inclusion of Congress ministers marks a notable moment in Tamil Nadu politics, with the party returning to ministerial office in the state after an absence of 59 years. The move is also seen as a major step in consolidating the ruling coalition led by C. Joseph Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

Confirming the decision, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal described the occasion as “historic” and expressed confidence that the new ministers would work towards fulfilling public aspirations while supporting a welfare-oriented administration.

The Congress currently holds five seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly and emerged as a crucial ally after the recent Assembly elections produced a fractured mandate. Although TVK emerged as the single largest party, it fell short of a majority in the 234-member House.

The political equation shifted after Congress, the CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML extended support to the Vijay-led alliance, enabling it to comfortably cross the majority mark required to form the government.

Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on 10 May along with nine ministers. However, several major portfolios — including Agriculture, Revenue, Forests, Housing, Cooperatives and MSME — have remained vacant since the government assumed office, prompting expectations of an early Cabinet expansion.

The government’s position in the Assembly strengthened further during the trust vote when 25 AIADMK legislators reportedly backed the ruling coalition, taking its effective strength to 144 members.

Political observers believe the induction of Congress ministers is aimed at reinforcing alliance unity and ensuring broader representation within the government while maintaining political stability in the state.

With IANS inputs