Chennai: IUML top leader KM Kader Mohideen on Thursday announced that his party would join the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government, PTI reported.
Speaking to reporters after chairing a top-level party meeting, Mohideen said the party has decided to be a part of the government led by Vijay.
The IUML has also decided to recommend its legislator AM Shahjahan for inclusion in the Cabinet, he added.
Shahjahan was elected from the Papanasam constituency.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday expanded his Cabinet by inducting 23 more legislators as ministers, including two from the Congress, which marked the return of the grand old party to governance in Tamil Nadu after almost 60 years.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Lok Bhavan, and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the minister-designates. TVK MLAs, including Srinath, S Kamali, C Vijayalakshmi and R V Ranjithkumar, were initially sworn in as ministers.
Congress party's S Rajesh Kumar, representing Killiyoor, and P Viswanathan, who won from the Melur segment, took oath as ministers. AICC in charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, said the inclusion of his party MLAs in the Cabinet heralded a "turning point" in the political history of Tamil Nadu.
"Congress cadres have been striving for power for the last 59 years and have been working for it with loyalty and dedication. Now, they have got it," Chodankar said.
A total of 23 MLAs were sworn in as ministers, and it includes three women. Vijay's friend Srinath, elected from the Thoothukudi Assembly segment, was the first to take the oath. Mohamed Farvas J, and N Marie Wilson were from the minority communities.
Governor Arlekar corrected Congress leader Rajesh Kumar during his oath-taking and asked him to confine to the written oath given to him. While reading out the oath from a paper, he suddenly hailed Congress leaders Kamaraj, Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, spontaneously prompting the Governor to say, "that is not part of your oath."