Tamil Nadu News

TVK Cabinet Generational Shift

May 23 , 2026 12 hrs 0 min 61 0

The 2026 Cabinet, led by C. Joseph Vijay, has an average age of 44.6 years.
The average age was 51.8 years in the 2011 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Cabinet led by J. Jayalalithaa and 61.3 years in the 2021 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Cabinet.
Out of the 33 Ministers in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government, 22 Ministers are below 50 years of age.
The Cabinet includes several first-time MLAs, young leaders, professionals, lawyers, doctors, film personalities, and grassroots organisers from different parts of Tamil Nadu.
S. Kamali, representing Avinashi constituency in Tiruppur district, became the youngest Minister in the Cabinet at the age of 28.
S. Keerthana, representing Sivakasi constituency in Virudhunagar district, became one of the youngest Ministers at the age of 29.
The Cabinet has seven Ministers from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, the highest SC representation in the history of Tamil Nadu Cabinets.
Earlier, the reshuffled 2024 DMK Cabinet had four Ministers from the SC community.
SC representation in Tamil Nadu Cabinets dates back to the Madras Presidency period.
In 1937, M. C. Rajah was included in the interim Cabinet formed under K. V. Reddy under the Government of India Act, 1935.
M. C. Rajah was given the Development portfolio in the Madras Presidency government.
In July 1937, V. I. Munuswamy Pillai became Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Cabinet headed by C. Rajagopalachari.
After the 1957 general elections, P. Kakkan joined the Cabinet led by K. Kamaraj and handled the Public Works Department.
In 1962, P. Kakkan was given the agriculture portfolio.
In 1963, when M. Bhakthavatchalam became Chief Minister, the home portfolio was assigned to P. Kakkan.
After the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power in 1967, Satyavani Muthu was included in successive Cabinets.
The present SC representation in the Cabinet may increase further if Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi joins the government in the future.
With the induction of Vanni Arasu from VCK, the number of Scheduled Caste members in the Cabinet has increased to eight.
This is the first time that eight people from the SC community have been included simultaneously in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet
With VCK’s Vanni Arasu and IUML’s Shahjahan on board, Vijay’s Cabinet in Tamil Nadu now has 35 Ministers.
Mr. Shahjahan will be the Minister for Minorities Welfare, while Mr. Vanni Arasu will be handling the Adi Dravidar Welfare and Hill Tribes portfolio, and will be known as Minister for Social Justice.
This is the first time the VCK and the IUML have been made part of the government.
With the induction of Congress MLAs into the Cabinet, the party has joined the government after 59 years, since 1967.
It was making the State’s first coalition government since 1952.