Congress to get two Cabinet berths in TVK-led Tamil Nadu government

Chennai: Two Congress ministers will be part of the TVK government when Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expands his nine-member Cabinet very soon, in a historic development for the national party which will taste power in Tamil Nadu for the first time since 1967.

“After 59 years, two Congress ministers will be part of the Tamil Nadu government. For thousands of Congress workers like me, this is an emotional and historically significant moment,” party whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said in a social media post.

Vijay had asked the Congress to nominate a name to be inducted into his Cabinet when he was sworn-in as Chief Minister on May 10. However, the party could not decide on the name within the stipulated time, thereby missing an opportunity to be part of the cabinet in the presence of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Sources told DH that the Congress is likely to nominate P Viswanathan, a Dalit leader who won from a general seat, and CLP leader Rajesh Kumar as ministers. However, if the TVK insists on a woman nominee, Colachel MLA Tharahai Cuthbert will make the cut since she is the only woman to have won from the Congress.

“If the TVK is fine with both nominees being men, Viswanathan and Rajesh Kumar will become ministers,” the source added.

Congress missed an opportunity to force the DMK to form a coalition government in 2006 despite the Dravidian party was dependent on its MLAs to run the administration.

Tagore, who has been pushing for a share in power, said the DMK had openly announced that Tamil Nadu would not accept a coalition government.

“People have already delivered their verdict on that. The people of Tamil Nadu have said they want to participate in government. History is being written. TVK chief Vijay who said alliance parties would always be given a share in power, has kept his promise,” he added.

Tamil Nadu must move from 36 per cent “commission politics” towards a “corruption-free government,” he added.