CHENNAI: IUML’s A M Shahjahan and VCK’s Vanni Arasu were inducted into chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s cabinet on Friday. This takes the total number of ministers in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly to 35, completing the final line-up of the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam-led multi-parties’ coalition govt.With this, the number of Dalit ministers in the TN cabinet rises to eight. This is the first time both VCK and IUML have been part of the cabinet. CM Vijay had previously inducted two Congress MLAs into his council of ministers. In total, four cabinet berths are now occupied by candidates who contested the April 23 polls under the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.Vanni Arasu and Shahjahan are allocated the Adi Dravidar Welfare and Minority Welfare portfolios, respectively. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan and IUML leader K M Kader Mohideen were also present on the occasion. However, the ‘Tamil Thai Vaazhthu’ row refuses to die down. The Lok Bhavan, citing a Feb 2026 union govt order, continued its practice of playing Vande Mataram first, followed by the National Anthem and pushed the Tamil anthem to third on the program and leaving Vijay and his allies in embarrassment. Left parties’ leaders, who stick to their stance of staying out of the cabinet, noted that the Governor’s office persisted despite CM Vijay’s explicit request to Governor R V Arlekar to commence the ceremony with the Tamil anthem. Consequently, the ruling party is facing sharp criticism for failing to uphold the pride of the Thamizh Thai Vaazhthu.VCK and IUML have also been facing criticism from DMK leaders and supporters for joining Vijay’s cabinet. DMK deputy general secretary A Raja took to social media to register his strong condemnation against them for ditching the DMK over cabinet berths.
