Chennai, Sept. 8: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is expected to undertake the first major reshuffle of his Cabinet soon after the month-long Assembly session concludes on Tuesday, with an internal performance review reportedly identifying shortcomings in the functioning of some ministers.
The proposed changes could include the removal of three ministers from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), including a woman minister, while the portfolio of an alliance-party minister may be altered. Another ruling-party minister has reportedly sought to be relieved of a major department because of the workload, a request that could be considered during the redistribution of portfolios.
The Vijay-led government took office four months ago after the TVK won its first Assembly election and formed a coalition administration. Polling for the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly took place on April 23, followed by counting from May 4.
The 35-member Council of Ministers includes members of the government’s alliance partners. The Congress has two ministerial berths, while the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League have one each.
The reshuffle discussions followed a review conducted by the Chief Minister’s advisers, John Arokiasamy and Vishnu Reddy. Their assessment examined the administration of individual departments, ministers’ meetings with officials and the implementation of programmes in their constituencies.
The review also assessed ministers’ participation in Assembly proceedings and their interactions with legislators from the ruling party. The advisers subsequently submitted their findings to the Chief Minister, pointing to shortcomings in the functioning of certain Cabinet members.
Vijay is also understood to have independently examined the assessment by consulting departmental secretaries. Their feedback reportedly strengthened concerns about the functioning of some ministries and contributed to discussions over changes in the Council of Ministers.
Government circles indicate that the proposed exercise could therefore involve both changes in ministerial membership and redistribution of responsibilities. While three TVK ministers could be dropped, one minister from an alliance partner may receive a different portfolio. The request from another ruling-party minister to relinquish a major department is also likely to form part of the deliberations.
No official announcement has been made on the timing or extent of the reshuffle. However, uncertainty among several ministers has increased as the Assembly session approaches its conclusion.
The proposed restructuring would mark the first major overhaul of the Vijay government since it assumed office and is expected to address performance concerns while maintaining the coalition’s ministerial balance.
