Congress to Join Vijay-led Tamil Nadu Cabinet After 59-Year Gap

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Mallikarjun Kharge approved two Congress MLAs for ministerial induction.
Congress will join the Tamil Nadu cabinet after 59 years.
The move strengthens the alliance supporting Vijay.

Chennai: The Indian National Congress is set to join the Tamil Nadu government after a gap of nearly six decades, following approval from party president Mallikarjun Kharge for the induction of two MLAs into Chief Minister Vijay’s cabinet.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced on Wednesday that legislators S Rajesh Kumar and P Vishwanathan will take oath as ministers on May 21.

The development marks a significant political shift in Tamil Nadu following the emergence of the TVK-led government.

Congress Joins Tamil Nadu Cabinet in Historic Shift

Venugopal described the moment as historic for the Congress party, noting that this will be the party’s first participation in a Tamil Nadu cabinet in 59 years.

The Congress, which secured five MLAs in the Assembly, had earlier exited the DMK-led alliance and extended support to Vijay’s maiden government led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

The second-order effect of Congress entering the cabinet could significantly reshape opposition politics in Tamil Nadu by weakening the traditional DMK-led alliance structure and strengthening Vijay’s emerging political base.

Vijay Government Expands Political Support Base

The inclusion of Congress ministers reflects Vijay’s effort to consolidate broader political support after forming the government with backing from multiple regional and national parties.

The TVK government had earlier secured support from:

Congress
CPI
CPI(M)
VCK
IUML

The coalition support enabled Vijay to comfortably cross the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly after TVK emerged as the single largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections.

Why Congress Participation Vijay led Tamil Nadu cabinet Matters Politically

Congress joining the cabinet carries symbolic and strategic importance because the party has remained largely peripheral to direct power in Tamil Nadu politics for decades.

Political analysts believe the move could:

Improve Congress relevance in Tamil Nadu
Strengthen anti-BJP positioning
Expand Vijay’s national political connections
Create new alliance equations ahead of future elections

The development also reflects changing power dynamics after the weakening of the long-standing Dravidian bipolar political structure dominated by DMK and AIADMK.

Tamil Nadu Politics Enters New Coalition Era

The induction of Congress ministers signals that Tamil Nadu may be entering a more coalition-driven political phase under Vijay’s leadership.

With multiple regional and ideological allies now supporting the government, maintaining political stability and balancing coalition expectations could become one of the key challenges for the new administration in the coming months.

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