CHENNAI: After waiting for six days since swearing in as the Chief Minister along with nine other TVK MLAs, reportedly for alliance partners to finalise their Cabinet picks, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday allocated portfolios to his ministerial colleagues, retaining key departments, including Home and Municipal Administration.
Chief Minister Vijay retained Public, General Administration, Police, Home, Special Programme Implementation, Women Welfare, Aged, Differently Abled and Youth Welfare, Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply, to maintain direct oversight over governance, administration, and welfare delivery during the initial phase of his tenure.
The portfolio allocation, approved by Tamil Nadu Governor in-charge Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, came days after Vijay and his Council of Ministers assumed office on May 10.
Hours before the official announcement, senior officer P Senthilkumar, who was appointed as the Secretary-I to the Chief Minister, met Governor Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and submitted the list of portfolios for approval.
Senior leader KA Sengottaiyan was entrusted with the Finance portfolio along with pensions and pension allowances, while N Anand, considered the second-most influential figure in the Cabinet, was allocated Rural Development and Water Resources, including irrigation, panchayats and poverty alleviation programmes.
Aadhav Arjuna was given Public Works, Highways, Minor Ports and Sports Development, while KG Arunraj was allotted Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare.
S Keerthana was assigned Industries and Investment Promotion, while P Venkataramanan was given Food and Civil Supplies, including Consumer Protection and Price Control.
R Nirmalkumar will oversee Energy Resources and Law, including electricity, courts, prisons and legislative affairs. Rajmohan was entrusted with School Education, Tamil Development and Information and Publicity, while TK Prabhu was assigned Natural Resources, including minerals and mines.
Party sources said the portfolios could be reshuffled in the coming weeks, expected to be around May 20, after the Cabinet expansion when MLAs from alliance parties, particularly Congress, are likely to be inducted into the government.