'Historic moment': 59-year-long wait ends as Congress to have Ministers in Tamil Nadu CM Vijay's Cabinet

S Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan set to be inducted into the TVK-led Cabinet today

The Congress will have Ministers in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet for the first time in 59 years, with MLAs S Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan set to be inducted into the TVK-led government on Thursday.

Viswanathan was elected from Melur in Madurai district and Rajesh Kumar won from Killiyoor segment in Kanniyakumari.

Congress leaders, including K C Venugopal, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Karti Chidambaram, took to social media highlighting the historic moment for 'The Grand Old Party' in the southern State.

Rao, in his post, said that the Congress did not have a ministerial post even with more than 60 seats in 1984 and 1991.

"In 1984 and 1991, when Congress had 60+ MLAs, we were not part of the government. In 2006, despite supporting the DMK minority government with 34 MLAs, we were not in the ministry. Even in 2021, with 18 MLAs, Congress had no ministerial representation," the Karnataka Minister said.

"Today, with just 5 MLAs, two of our colleagues — Shri Rajesh Kumar and Shri Viswanathan — are set to become Ministers. After nearly 60 years, Congress will once again have representation in the Tamil Nadu Ministry," he added.

The Congress formed the government from 1952 to 1967, in the then Madras State. It had three Chief Ministers — C Rajagopalachari, K Kamaraj and M Bhaktavatsalam — before the DMK dethroned the national party in 1967.

Even after aligning with both, the DMK and the AIADMK, the Congress was never a part of the Tamil Nadu government ever since.

During the 2006-11 regime led by the DMK, the Congress made demands to share power but they were not met.

This year, the Congress contested the elections as part of the DMK-led alliance. It had demanded power sharing with the DMK but the Dravidian party chief M K Stalin had said that power sharing formula would not work in Tamil Nadu.

While TVK chief Vijay offered share in power after launching his party in 2024, the DMK maintained that it will not suit Tamil Nadu and the demand seeking power share became a major sore point in the ties between the DMK and the Congress.

After the results were announced on May 4, the Congress extended support to the TVK, which fell short of a majority by 10 seats, in its maiden election.