In a significant political shift, the Congress party will rejoin the Tamil Nadu cabinet after a hiatus of 59 years. This historic development was confirmed by AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, who announced that party legislators S Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan will be sworn in as ministers on May 21. The induction ceremony is scheduled for 10 am on Thursday, although the exact number of ministers taking the oath has not been disclosed. Rajesh Kumar, representing the Melur constituency in Madurai, and P Viswanathan from Killiyoor in Kanyakumari, are set to join Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's government, which is aligned with the Tamil Nadu Vanniyar Katchi (TVK). Venugopal emphasized that this occasion is historic for the Congress, which has not participated in the Tamil Nadu government since the DMK's rise to power in 1967. The Congress party previously faced challenges in securing a share of power during its alliances with the DMK and AIADMK but has now shifted its support to the TVK government following the recent elections. This move reflects the Congress's strategy ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.