The VCK and IUML joined the TVK Ministry on Friday, with their MLAs, Vanni Arasu and AM Shahjahan, being inducted into the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. With this, Vijay’s Cabinet has reached its constitutional saturation point of 35 Ministers.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy to both new Ministers at a simple function held at Lok Bhavan in Chennai.
The TVK government has now become a full-fledged coalition government, with Congress, VCK and IUML as its post-poll allies, while the four members of the CPI and CPM continue to extend unconditional outside support to the government.
With the VCK and IUML, long-time allies of the DMK, becoming part of the TVK Ministry, it remains unclear whether they will continue in the DMK alliance, as no official announcement has been made so far.
Two weeks ago, Governor Rajendra Arlekar invited the TVK president to form the government after the Left parties, VCK and IUML extended unconditional outside support.
At the time, all these parties stated that they would continue in the DMK-led alliance and that their support to the TVK government was aimed at preventing what they described as proxy rule by the BJP under the guise of President’s Rule, as no party had secured a simple majority in the Assembly elections.
However, when the TVK once again requested the VCK and IUML to join the Ministry, the parties considered the proposal and, after much deliberation, decided to become part of the government.
Significantly, the AIADMK faction, which has 25 MLAs and supported the TVK government during the confidence vote, was left out of the Ministry, reportedly due to legal issues.
As only two Ministers were to be sworn in, the ceremony was held in a small chamber, attended only by Ministers, office-bearers of both parties, and senior officials.
As expected, Shahjahan has been designated as the Minister for Minorities Welfare, and he will also oversee the Wakf Board. Similarly, Vanni Arasu has been designated as the Minister for Social Justice, which includes the subjects of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Hill Tribes Welfare.
For many decades, both major Dravidian parties, the DMK and AIADMK, had a department called the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department. Now, the TVK government has created a new Social Justice Department and brought Adi Dravidar Welfare under its purview.
On Thursday, CM Joseph Vijay carried out a major expansion and reshuffle of his Council of Ministers, allocating portfolios to newly inducted ministers and revising certain existing departments in the 33-member ministry.
The Cabinet expansion saw the induction of 23 new ministers, 21 from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and two legislators from the Congress , marking the grand old party’s return to the Tamil Nadu ministry after nearly six decades.