File picture: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay addresses the State Assembly
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After a gap of 59 years, the Indian National Congress will once again be part of the government in Tamil Nadu, under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.Confirming the development in a post on X, Congress general secretary (Organisation) K. C. Venugopal said MLAs Rajesh Kumar and P. Vishwanathan would be sworn in as ministers in the Tamil Nadu cabinet on Thursday.The Indian National Congress last ruled Tamil Nadu in 1967 before the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power.After Independence, the Congress was the dominant political force in Tamil Nadu, governing the State for the first two decades under leaders such as K. Kamaraj, who served as Chief Minister from 1954 to 1963.However, Congress rule ended in the 1967 Assembly elections when the DMK, led by C. N. Annadurai, swept to power. Annadurai became the first DMK Chief Minister, ushering in the era of Dravidian dominance in Tamil Nadu politics for more than five decades.Since 1967, power in the State has alternated between the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, with Congress playing only a limited role, largely as a coalition partner.The recent Assembly elections, however, marked the end of uninterrupted Dravidian-party rule, with the two-year-old TVK emerging victorious.This was followed by support from the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League, enabling the TVK to form the government.Published on May 20, 2026
