Chief Minister Thalapathy Vijay expanded his cabinet on 21 May 2026 at Raj Bhavan, Chennai, with 23 new ministers sworn in — bringing the total cabinet strength to 33 (CM + 32 ministers).
The Phase 2 expansion came 11 days after the Phase 1 swearing-in on 10 May 2026, when CM Vijay and 9 ministers took oath at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in the presence of national leaders and tens of thousands of TVK workers.
- Total cabinet: CM Vijay + 32 ministers = 33 (max: 35)
- India's second dedicated AI & IT Ministry created (after Kerala)
- 4 women ministers — beats all previous TN records
- Congress returns to TN governance after 59 years
- 7 SC/ST ministers — historic representation
- Phase 2 sworn in at Raj Bhavan · 21 May 2026
- R. Kumar (Velachery) — first AI Minister of TN
- N. Marie Wilson (Dr. RK Nagar) — Finance Minister
A New Ministry for a New Era
The most significant announcement of the Phase 2 expansion was the creation of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology & Digital Services portfolio — making Tamil Nadu one of the first states in India to have a standalone AI ministry.
Velachery MLA R. Kumar was appointed as the first AI & IT Minister. His mandate is sweeping: AI adoption across all government departments, digital service delivery, and positioning Tamil Nadu as India's preferred AI investment destination.
Tamil Nadu will lead India's AI revolution. Every government service will be AI-powered within three years.
— CM Vijay · 21 May 2026 (Translated/Paraphrased from Tamil press reports)
Congress Returns After 59 Years
In a moment that historians will note, two Congress MLAs were inducted into the cabinet — marking INC's return to Tamil Nadu governance for the first time since 1967, when the party last held power in the state under Chief Minister M. Bhaktavatsalam.
S. Rajesh Kumar was allocated the Tourism portfolio, and P. Viswanathan received Higher Education. Both portfolios are central to Vijay's economic vision — tourism as a revenue driver, and higher education as the long-term social equity lever.
Finance Ministry Reshuffle
A key portfolio change from Phase 1: K.A. Sengottaiyan, the veteran politician and former AIADMK minister who held Finance in Phase 1, was reassigned to Revenue & Disaster Management — a portfolio more suited to his administrative experience. Finance was allocated to first-time MLA N. Marie Wilson from Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency.
The Finance appointment raised eyebrows in political circles — a first-time MLA handling Tamil Nadu's most powerful portfolio. CM Vijay's team defended it as a signal that technical competence, not political seniority, would define his government.
Full Phase 2 Cabinet — 21 May 2026
| # | Minister | Portfolio | Party | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N. Marie Wilson | Finance, Planning & Pensions | TVK | Key Change |
| 2 | K. Jegadeshwari | Women Welfare & Social Security | TVK | Women |
| 3 | R. Kumar (Velachery) | AI, IT & Digital Services | TVK | India's 2nd AI Ministry |
| 4 | Srinath | Fisheries & Fishermen Welfare | TVK | |
| 5 | S. Kamali | Animal Husbandry | TVK | Women |
| 6 | C. Vijayalakshmi | Milk & Dairy Development | TVK | Women |
| 7 | R.V. Ranjithkumar | Forests | TVK | |
| 8 | Vinoth | Agriculture & Farmers Welfare | TVK | |
| 9 | Rajeev | Environment & Climate Change | TVK | |
| 10 | B. Rajkumar | Housing & Urban Development | TVK | |
| 11 | V. Gandhiraj | Co-operation | TVK | |
| 12 | P. Mathan Raja | MSME | TVK | |
| 13 | S. Rajesh Kumar | Tourism | INC | Congress Returns |
| 14 | M. Vijay Balaji | Handlooms, Textiles & Khadi | TVK | |
| 15 | D. Logesh Tamilselvan | Commercial Taxes & Registration | TVK | |
| 16 | A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban | Transport | TVK | |
| 17 | Ramesh | Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments | TVK | |
| 18 | P. Viswanathan | Higher Education | INC | Congress Returns |
| 19 | K. Thennarasu | Non-Resident Tamils Welfare | TVK | |
| 20 | V. Sampath Kumar | Backward Classes Welfare | TVK | |
| 21 | J. Mohamed Farvas | Labour Welfare & Skill Dev | TVK | |
| 22 | D. Sarathkumar | Human Resources Management | TVK | |
| 23 | K. Vignesh | Prohibition & Excise | TVK | |
| 24 | Vijai Srinivasan | Health & Family Welfare, AYUSH | TVK | |
| 25 | Sundarapandian | School Education, Noon Meal, Libraries | TVK | |
| 26 | Karthikeyan G. | Highways & Minor Ports | TVK | |
| 27 | Thilagavathi | Tamil Language & Culture, Archaeology | TVK | Women |
| 28 | Ponmudy R. | Electricity & Non-Conventional Energy | TVK | |
| 29 | Manimegalai | Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare | TVK |
Two Spots Remaining
With 33 members in the cabinet, two spots remain under the constitutional ceiling of 35 (15% of 234 MLAs, per Article 164(1A)). Political observers expect the remaining spots to be allocated to representatives from VCK and IUML — the two alliance parties not yet represented in the cabinet.
Note on quotes: Speeches cited in this article were delivered in Tamil. Quotes shown are translated and paraphrased from Tamil press reports. Exact wording may vary. VettriThalapathy.com is a fan tribute site — not an official news source.
