Tamil Nadu CM-designate Vijay to retain key portfolios

TVK leader C. Joseph Vijay will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. He is expected to retain crucial portfolios such as Home, Police, and Public Administration.

Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief C. Joseph Vijay, who is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at 10 a.m. on Sunday, is expected to retain key portfolios including Home, Police, and Public Administration in the new government, party sources said on Saturday.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar formally invited Vijay to form the government following his submission of letters proving majority support in the 234-member Assembly.

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Sources said that nine Ministers are likely to take oath along with Vijay in the first phase of Cabinet formation in Tamil Nadu.

A tentative list of Ministers and portfolios has also emerged ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

Senior leader K.A. Sengottaiyan is expected to handle the Public Works Department (PWD), while N. Anand is likely to be given the Municipal Administration portfolio.

C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar may take charge of the Electricity Department.

Aadhav Arjuna is expected to be entrusted with the Sports Development portfolio, while Raj Mohan is likely to become the Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare Department.

V.N.S. Mustafa is expected to handle Minority Welfare in the new Cabinet.

According to sources, P. Venkataramanan may be assigned the School Education portfolio, while Arun Raj is likely to oversee Commercial Taxes and Registration.

The Congress, which extended support to the Vijay-led formation after the Assembly election results, is also expected to get representation in the Cabinet.

Sources indicated that Congress leaders Rajesh Kumar and Viswanathan are likely to be inducted as Cabinet Ministers.

The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections but fell short of the majority mark on its own.

Vijay subsequently secured the backing of the Congress, CPI, CPI-M, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), taking the alliance tally to 120 MLAs — comfortably above the majority mark of 118.

Political observers view Vijay’s decision to retain the Home and Public Administration departments as a sign that the actor-turned-politician intends to maintain direct control over governance and law-and-order management during the initial phase of his administration.