Chennai, May 22: The Tamil Nadu government has initiated the process of expanding its cabinet. The Chief Minister has recommended the inclusion of two legislators in the council of ministers, a proposal that has received approval from the Governor.
According to a press release issued from the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, the Chief Minister has suggested the names of A.M. Shahjahan, elected from the Papanasam assembly constituency, and Vanni Arasu, elected from the Thindivanam assembly constituency, for inclusion in the cabinet. The Governor has granted approval for this recommendation.
This cabinet expansion is seen as a strategy to create regional balance within the ruling party and to provide opportunities for new faces. A.M. Shahjahan hails from Papanasam, a significant area in southern Tamil Nadu, while Vanni Arasu represents the northeastern region from Thindivanam. The inclusion of both legislators is expected to strengthen regional representation in the cabinet.
Earlier, on Thursday, 23 new ministers were inducted into the council of ministers, with the Governor approving the allocation of departments. Among them, Srinath has been assigned fisheries, Kamali S. has taken charge of animal husbandry, C. Vijayalakshmi is responsible for milk and dairy development, and R.V. Ranjit Kumar has been given the forest department. Vinod has been entrusted with the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, while Rajiv will oversee the environment and climate change department.
Other ministers include B. Rajkumar for housing and urban development, V. Gandhiraj for cooperation, Mathan Raja P. for micro, small, and medium enterprises, Jagadishwari K. for social welfare and women’s empowerment, and Rajesh Kumar S. for tourism.
Additionally, M. Vijay Balaji has been assigned handlooms and textiles, Logesh Tamilselvan D. for commercial taxes and registration, Vijay Tamil Parthiban A. for transport, and Ramesh for the Hindu religious and charitable endowments department.
The higher education department has been entrusted to P. Vishwanathan, while Kumar R. will lead the newly formed artificial intelligence, information technology, and digital services department. Thenarasu K. has been assigned the welfare of non-resident Tamils, V. Sampath Kumar for backward classes welfare, Mohammad Farwas for labor welfare and skill development, and D. Sarathkumar for human resource management. The finance, planning, and development department has been given to N. Mary Wilson, while Vignesh K. will oversee the prohibition and excise department.