CHENNAI — In a major political development, the Indian National Congress is set to become part of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet for the first time in nearly six decades, as two of its legislators are scheduled to take oath as ministers in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, on Thursday.
The announcement came after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge approved the induction of Congress MLAs S.Rajesh Kumar and P.Viswanathan into the state Cabinet.
The move is being viewed as an important step in the evolving political landscape of Tamil Nadu and a significant strengthening of the alliance supporting the TVK government.
Confirming the development through a social media post, AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said: “Hon’ble INC President Sh. Mallikarjun Kharge ji has approved the induction of INC MLAs Adv. Rajesh Kumar and Thiru P. Vishwanathan into the Tamil Nadu cabinet, and they will be taking oath as Ministers tomorrow.”
Describing it as a landmark moment for the party, Venugopal further wrote: “This is a historic occasion for us, as the Congress joins the Tamil Nadu cabinet after a long gap of 59 years.” He also extended his best wishes to the two leaders and expressed confidence that they would work towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Tamil Nadu while carrying forward a welfare-oriented governance model.
The Congress currently has five MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and emerged as a key supporting force for the TVK government following the Assembly election. The support extended by Congress, along with alliance partners including Left parties, VCK and IUML, helped the Vijay-led administration comfortably cross the majority mark in the Assembly.
Political observers view the induction of Congress ministers as more than a routine Cabinet expansion. It is being seen as a calculated move by the TVK leadership to strengthen alliance management and provide greater representation to supporting parties while maintaining political stability.
The swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Thursday is expected to mark a new chapter in Tamil Nadu politics, with Congress returning to ministerial responsibility in the state after an absence spanning nearly six decades. — IANS
