Tamil Nadu CM Vijay keeps home, police, youth welfare depts for self; Sengottaiyan gets finance
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has kept Home, Police, General Administration and a cluster of welfare departments with himself as he distributed other responsibilities among cabinet members, making good on election pledges to retain direct oversight of law and order, and women and children’s welfare.
The allocation, approved by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, reflects TVK’s strategy of concentrating executive authority in the Chief Minister’s Office while assigning remaining portfolios on the basis of ministers’ professional backgrounds, party roles, and regional and social representation.
Along with Home and Police, Vijay has retained Public, General Administration, the three All-India Services—IAS, IPS and IFS—District Revenue Officers, Special Programme Implementation, Women Welfare, Youth Welfare, Welfare of Children, Aged and Differently Abled Persons, Municipal Administration, and Urban and Water Supply.
Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on 10 May, days after TVK emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly, having secured 108 out of 243 seats. Ten seats short of majority, TVK tied up with the Congress and other Left parties to form a coalition government, and also got the support of over two dozen AIADMK legislators to sweep the floor test.
Political analyst Arun Kumar said Saturday the allocation was consistent with the party’s electoral messaging. “The portfolios he has kept with himself is in line with his election campaign promises. The earlier accusation was that the previous government did not given adequate attention to women, youth, children, and differently abled. He also emphasised on law and order issues, and drug menace during his first speech, so Vijay is keeping a hold on the law and order departments,” Kumar said.
Kumar added that the cabinet was likely to expand. “Once the cabinet is expanded, the other departments can be allocated to the new members. The Congress, AIADMK rebel faction or VCK members are also expected to share governance and so the ministries can be allocated accordingly,” he said.
For the remaining portfolios, the allocations lean heavily on expertise and party pedigree.
TVK’s long-term general secretary N. Anand, a former Puducherry MLA with local body experience, has been given Rural Development and Water Resources.
Aadhav Arjuna, the party’s election campaign strategist and president of the Basketball Federation of India, who won from Villivakkam, takes charge of Public Works and Sports Development.
Doctor-turned-IRS officer K.G. Arunraj, who played a key role in drafting the party manifesto and previously served as a medical officer in rural Tamil Nadu, has been assigned Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare.
Veteran legislator K.A. Sengottaiyan—a ten-time MLA who has previously held the Transport, Forests, Agriculture, Information Technology, Revenue, and School Education portfolios—will head Finance, including pensions and pension allowances.
Rajmohan, the party’s propaganda secretary and a noted orator with a media and content creation background, has been allocated School Education, Tamil Development, and Information and Publicity, along with Archaeology, Tamil culture, Film Technology, and Government Press.
TVK treasurer P. Venkataramanan takes charge of Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection and Price Control. R. Nirmalkumar, credited with organisational strengthening and alliance-building, will head Energy Resources and Law—covering electricity, non-conventional energy, courts, prisons, anti-corruption measures, the legislative assembly, elections, and passports.
T.K. Prabhu, the party’s former southern districts’ organiser, has been assigned Natural Resources (Minerals and Mines). The youngest minister in the cabinet, 29-year-old S. Keerthana, who won from Sivakasi, will handle Industries and Investment Promotion.
Separately, the Vijay government has begun implementing orders to close 717 TASMAC liquor outlets across the state—all located within 500 metres of educational institutions, places of worship, or bus stands—citing concerns over alcohol accessibility in sensitive public areas and the addiction-related burden on families.
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