Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday further expanded his Council of Ministers by inducting Vanni Arasu of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and AM Shahjahan of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) as ministers, a day after a major Cabinet expansion that saw 23 ministers being sworn in.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered oath to both at a small function in the Lok Bhavan on Friday morning. This minor expansion took the size of the Vijay’s ministry to 35.
Shahjahan has been allotted the Minorities Welfare portfolio and Arasu will handle the Social Justice department, says a release.
The induction of leaders from the VCK and IUML is significant as both parties had contested the Assembly elections as constituents of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance.
In the power-sharing politics in Tamil Nadu, the DMK’s Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) is now left with only two pre-poll allies outside the Vijay-led government — Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam founded by Vijayakanth and Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
The Indian National Congress, which has five MLAs in the Assembly, was the first among the DMK alliance partners to extend support to the minority Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government led by Vijay and also secured representation in the Cabinet.
Subsequently, the two Left parties — Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) — were accommodated in the ministry, followed now by the VCK and IUML.
The taking over of the TVK government has changed the political landscape in Tamil Nadu. First, the , the ‘minority’ government won the floor test in the Assembly with the support of 144 MLAs. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam saw a split with a rebel group led by party veterans CV Shanmugham and SP Velumani with the backing of 25 MLAs out of the total 47.
With the Congress moving out of the DMK-led alliance, the INDI alliance will seize to exit in the State.
DMK’s political and ideological basis will continue to be based on secular credentials with or without its allies, political analyst Ramu Manivannan.
Published on May 22, 2026