Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s TVK-led government expanded on Thursday with the appointment of 23 new ministers, including two Congress MLAs – the first in nearly six decades.
The swearing-in ceremony began at Lok Bhavan at 10 am, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlikar administering oath to the appointed ministers. TVK MLAs Srinath, S Kamali, C Vijayalakshmi and RV Ranjithkumar were among the first to take oath as ministers.
Read also | Two Congress MLAs, 21 from CM Vijay’s TVK take oath in historic Cabinet expansion in Tamil Nadu
With the recent expansion, the size of CM Vijay’s Cabinet has increased to 33, while the total number of members in the council is 35.
Who are the MLAs in Congress?
The two Congressional MLAs – the first in nearly six decades – are:
S Rajesh Kumar
S Rajesh Kumar He is a three-time legislator from Kiliyur constituency in Kanyakumari district. The 51-year-old leader is currently the leader of the Congress Legislative Party and former president of the Kanyakumari West District Congress Committee.
In the 2026 Assembly elections, Rajesh Kumar polled 66,434 votes, defeating Tamilaga candidate Vetri Kazhagam S Sabin by 1,311 votes.
B Viswanathan
P Viswanathan, another senior Congress leader, was elected from Melur constituency in Madurai district. The 61-year-old is a postgraduate and practicing advocate.
Viswanathan has held various positions within the Congress Party and was elected as the Member of Parliament from Kancheepuram constituency in 2009. He is also the All India Congress Committee in-charge of Telangana.
In the Assembly elections, he polled 60,080 votes, defeating TVK candidate A Maduraiveeran by 2,724 votes.
The Congress, with its five MLAs, was among the first parties to extend support to Vijay-led TVK after it lacked majority strength to form the government after the counting of votes for the May 4 Assembly elections. Over the course of about a week, other parties joined in and extended support to the actor-politician’s party, enabling him to form a government in Tamil Nadu after an impressive performance in the first poll.
Of the total cabinet composition, 21 MPs are from Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and two from Congress. Prime Minister Vijay, along with nine other MLAs, had earlier taken oath on May 10 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
(With inputs from S Vijay Karthik)
