Two Congress leaders to join Vijay's Tamil Nadu cabinet today, first in 59 years as party eyes Rajya Sabha berth

THe us congress company is go down to fall in the Chief government minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government on Thursday, marking the first time it will be part of an alliance in the southern state in 59 years.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge approved the induction of MLAs Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and will take oath as ministers on Thursday, KC Venugopal, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary said on social media on Wednesday.“This is a historic occasion for us, as the Congress joins the Tamil Nadu cabinet after a long gap of 59 years,” Venugopal said.ALSO READ | Please join Tamil Nadu cabinet: TVK's appeal to VCK, 'Islamic brothers' of IUML, other alliesThe Congress is also negotiating with chief minister Vijay for a Rajya Sabha berth from Tamil Nadu with CV Shanmugam, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP, set to retire from the Upper House in June. In the biennial election, the ruling dispensation in the state is set to win that seat.“We are negotiating with TVK to give us the Rajya Sabha berth. A Tamil functionary, who played a key role in bringing the Congress closer to the TVK and break the alliance with DMK, is considered as a frontrunner for the berth,” said a Congress leader aware of the negotiations.The Congress with five MLAs in the Tamil Nadu assembly, was among the first parties to back Vijay’s TVK, after the latter fell short of a majority in the 234-member assembly, winning 108 seats.ALSO READ | Trouble for Vijay? Tamil Nadu CM gets warning by ally CPI-M over AIADMK: ‘Will withdraw support…’The leader, quoted above, said that during the pre-poll seat negotiations with the DMK, a section of the Congress was keen to enter into a power-sharing agreement. In other words, Congress was keen to join the government and not just provide just outside support. DMK chief MK Stalin didn’t agree.Contesting in 28 seats under the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the Congress won in five assembly segments: Rajesh Kumar won in Killiyoor constituency, Viswanathan in Melur, Tharahai Cuthbert in Colachel, Praveen TT in Vilavancode, and Jamal Yunus Mohammed won in Mayiladuthurai.Congress, however, formed a post-poll alliance with TVK, triggering strong reactions from the DMK. Besides entering into a pact with the Congress, TVK formed an alliance with Left parties, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).ALSO READ | Vijay directs officials to improve infrastructure of Amma Canteen, ensure quality foodState minister Aadhav Arjuna, also the party secretary (election campaign management), said his party invited all the alliance partners including VCK and IUML to be part of the cabinet.“He (Vijay) has emphasised that the alliance parties should join. The left parties have decided to offer outside support to us. We will always respect that. This government will be a government for social justice and we stand firm on the secular policy,” Arjuna said.The swearing-in ceremony for the ministers will take place at 10 am at Bharathiar Mandapam in Lok Bhavan on Thursday.Besides Congress lawmakers joining the state government as an alliance partner in nearly six decades, Tamil Nadu will also have its first coalition government since 1952 on Thursday.According to a political analyst, who asked not to be named, no single party secured a majority in the 1952 elections when Tamil Nadu was called as Madras State. The Congress was the single largest and formed an alliance with Wheel Party led by Manickavel Naicker who later merged it with the Congress.