Overview
- Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay recommended the induction of 23 MLAs and on May 21 had 21 TVK legislators and two Congress MLAs sworn in, which raised the council to 33 ministers.
- On May 22 the government completed the expansion by swearing in VCK nominee Vanni Arasu and IUML nominee A M Shahjahan, bringing the total to the constitutional maximum of 35 ministers.
- The expansion includes a post‑swear‑in portfolio reshuffle that creates a cabinet‑level Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology & Digital Services ministry, assigns Finance to N. Marie Wilson, and gives Higher Education to P. Viswanathan.
- The two Congress ministers mark the party’s return to Tamil Nadu ministerial office after nearly six decades and the expansion was explicitly used to lock allied support from Congress, VCK and IUML.
- The ministry’s composition emphasizes representation with multiple Dalit and women ministers and that balance has prompted criticism and political friction from opposition leaders, which could shape coalition stability and legislative bargaining ahead.