Ranit Kr. Singh , Chennai — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay expanded his cabinet on Thursday by inducting 23 new ministers, pushing the total strength of the council to 35. Administered by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan, the swearing-in ceremony featured prominent Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) legislators including Srinath, S. Kamali, C. Vijayalakshmi, and R. V. Ranjithkumar. This major expansion solidifies the newly formed government following the May 4 Assembly elections, where the actor-politician's party made an impressive debut but fell short of a majority, necessitating a coalition.

In a historic political shift, the expansion included Congress MLAs S. Rajesh Kumar (Killiyoor) and P. Viswanathan (Melur), marking the first time in nearly six decades that Congress legislators have joined a Tamil Nadu cabinet. Kumar, the 51-year-old Congress Legislature Party leader, and Viswanathan, a 61-year-old advocate and former MP, both won tight contests against TVK candidates before their party's five MLAs extended crucial post-poll support to Vijay. The final ministerial composition now stands at 21 MLAs from the TVK and two from the Congress, building upon the initial group of ten ministers who took the oath of office on May 10.

The inclusion of coalition partners signals a new era of collaborative governance for the state, moving away from decades of single-party dominance. Emphasizing the significance of this political alliance, political analyst Dr. A. Kilan stated, "This historic induction not only secures the stability of the TVK-led government but also reshapes Tamil Nadu's political landscape by reviving power-sharing dynamics that have been dormant for sixty years."