Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expanded his Cabinet by inducting VCK leader Vanni Arasu and IUML legislator A M Shahjahan as ministers. The move strengthened the TVK-led coalition government and increased representation for Dalit and minority communities in the ministry
Published Date – 22 May 2026, 08:46 PM
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday completed his Cabinet expansion exercise by inducting two more MLAs, a Dalit leader from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader, making it a rainbow ministry that also includes Brahmins.
Strengthening his coalition government, which already has representation from the Congress party and the support of the Left parties, senior VCK leader Vanni Arasu, a close aide of party chief Thol Thirumavalavan, and IUML legislator A M Shahjahan took oath as ministers.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy at a simple ceremony held at the Lok Bhavan. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and others participated.
The induction of the two MLAs into the Cabinet led by Vijay has taken the total number of ministers, including the Chief Minister, to 35, the maximum permissible limit under the Constitution.
The inclusion of IUML and VCK nominees in the Cabinet marks a milestone as the TVK government has broadened its alliance base, ensuring greater political stability.
Rebel AIADMK leader SP Velumani denied that his group supported the TVK government in the hope of securing ministerial berths and asserted that they backed it to respect the people’s mandate. This is the first time a coalition government has been formed in Tamil Nadu.
The induction of the VCK and IUML legislators apparently irked the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and its senior leader A Raja targeted the two parties, initially through a social media post that was later allegedly deleted, and later through another post criticising them.
A subsequent war of words ensued between the parties concerned, even as TVK leader and state minister Aadhav Arjuna demanded that the DMK leader apologise for his remarks.
Former chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin also stepped in to end the verbal clash.
DMK deputy general secretary Raja, without directly referring to the VCK and IUML joining the government, cited a literary term to describe a coconut tree from one’s garden bending towards the neighbouring house and offering tender coconuts to the neighbour.
Using the example, he asked what term could be used in politics to describe a similar situation. Criticising Raja, Arjuna demanded an apology from the DMK leader.
The VCK said Raja’s remarks, including another social media post that was allegedly deleted later, amounted to insulting women.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a noted Dalit party, and the Indian Union Muslim League celebrated the inclusion of their representatives in the Cabinet. Vanni Arasu told reporters that his swearing-in as minister was a perfect “dream come true” moment. “Winning power” was part of the vision of Thirumavalavan, and that vision has now been realised, he said.
In total, there are eight Dalit ministers in the Vijay-led Cabinet, including P Viswanathan from Congress and VCK’s Vanni Arasu. The remaining ministers are from TVK. There are two Brahmins and at least five ministers from minority religions, including Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, TVK’s N Marie Wilson (Finance Minister) and Mohamed Farvas J (Labour Minister).
Apart from former chief ministers C Rajagopalachari, J Jayalalithaa and Janaki Ramachandran, wife of former chief minister M G Ramachandran, there had been no other Brahmin ministers in Tamil Nadu.
In the presence of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and top officials, Shahjahan, who won from Papanasam Assembly constituency, and Vanni Arasu, who emerged victorious from the Tindivanam segment, took the oath of office and secrecy.
Thirumavalavan and Aadhav Arjuna accompanied Arasu to his chamber in the Secretariat, seated him in his chair and extended their greetings.
Following the induction, Vijay inspected the sprawling Secretariat campus and visited the British-era church located on the premises.
Social media platforms were abuzz with comments from TVK supporters praising Vijay for accommodating Muslim and Dalit leaders, which they claimed had “isolated” the DMK.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Thirumavalavan said the majority within his party believed that the VCK should be included in the Cabinet. His party was the first to advocate a coalition form of governance in Tamil Nadu.
Despite the IUML initially extending unconditional support to the TVK government during the trust vote in the Assembly, Vijay later offered the party a berth in the Cabinet.
Shahjahan (57) holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Jamal Mohamed College in Tiruchirappalli. He hails from Thirumangalakudi in Thanjavur district. He is involved in social service and is among the founders of the Assalam Charitable and Educational Trust in Thanjavur district, which focuses on community upliftment, higher education and social welfare.
Vanni Arasu is deputy general secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. Along with Shahjahan, he made history by becoming one of the first VCK and IUML representatives to be inducted into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet. Vanni Arasu’s activism draws inspiration from B R Ambedkar, EV Ramasamy Periyar and Tamil nationalist principles.
The eight Dalit ministers in the TVK Cabinet are D Lokesh Tamilselvan, Vanni Arasu, Rajmohan, S Kamali, P Mathan Raja, K Thennarasu, V Gandhiraj and P Viswanathan.
The appointment of eight Scheduled Caste MLAs as ministers is a first in Tamil Nadu. The previous DMK government, after a reshuffle in 2024, had four ministers from the Scheduled Castes community.
The two Brahmin ministers in the Vijay-led ministry are P Venkataraman and S Ramesh. The four women ministers are S Kamali, S Keerthana, C Vijayalakshmi and K Jagadeshwari.
The Congress, which has been out of power since 1967, joined the TVK government with two ministers, S Rajesh Kumar and Viswanathan.
Congress, IUML and VCK had contested the April 23 Assembly election in alliance with the DMK. Congress, which has five legislators, later walked out of the DMK-led alliance to support TVK, while the others extended support later.
The average age of the Cabinet is relatively low, with more than 11 ministers under the age of 40, while ministers Keerthana and Kamali are under 30 years of age. Ramesh is 31 years old.
“I am really very happy. It is a historic moment for IUML. We faced many elections in the past, but this is the first time that IUML has joined the Cabinet in Tamil Nadu,” Shahjahan told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony.
Meanwhile, the DMK’s sarcastic “bent coconut tree” jibe drew a sharp response from the VCK.
Long-time allies DMK and VCK had contested the 2026 elections as SPA coalition partners. However, the VCK extended support to TVK when it attempted to secure enough numbers to form its maiden government in the state.
Reacting sharply to the “bent coconut tree” remark, the VCK said it did not grow at the mercy of other parties. Its sweat and blood had sustained the vote bank of oppressed people and contributed to the victory of coalition parties, it claimed.
“What right do other parties have to speak about party defection? Whose history is it that they formed an alliance with the Sangh Parivar (BJP) to defeat the Congress? Whose ‘selfishness’ is it that they were part of the Vajpayee Cabinet and then opposed the same BJP? Tamil Nadu has witnessed many such political dramas,” the VCK said on X.
As tempers flared, Stalin stepped in to calm the situation.
Stalin, while congratulating Vanni Arasu and Shahjahan on becoming ministers, said on X that every party had the right to decide its political course. “Therefore, as your leader, I appeal to DMK cadres not to use harsh words that hurt anyone.
“We must not forget that we have come on the path of Anna and Kalaignar,” referring to former chief ministers C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi. “We will function as a constructive opposition that praises good deeds and criticises wrongful actions,” Stalin said.
