Tamil Nadu: Senior Politician Questions Lack of Muslim Ministers in TVK Cabinet Despite Three Muslim MLAs

M. H. Jawahirullah, a senior politician and MLA from Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), criticized the TVK government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for excluding Muslim ministers from its cabinet despite having three Muslim MLAs in the Assembly. He called this omission “unfortunate” and drew comparisons to BJP-led governments where Muslims are often left out of ministerial roles. Although the TVK alliance includes three Muslim MLAs—I. Thahira, Mohamed Farvas J., and Madhar Badhurudeen—none were appointed in the first round of cabinet selections.

Jawahirullah emphasized that Muslims, as Tamil Nadu’s largest minority, deserve representation in the state’s cabinet. He highlighted the historical precedent set by past leaders such as K. Kamaraj, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran, and M. K. Stalin, all of whom included Muslim ministers in their governments. Notably, the previous M. K. Stalin cabinet featured Muslim ministers like S. M. Nasar and K. S. Masthan. He questioned the irony of Vijay calling his administration a “minority government” while appointing no Muslim ministers, especially given that TVK’s Muslim MLAs won significant victories, including defeats of high-profile opponents.

Despite five Muslim MLAs in the broader coalition (including allies Congress and IUML), none were included in the initial cabinet. Jawahirullah demanded corrective action by appointing one of the Muslim MLAs to the ministry. He also addressed the national decline in Muslim representation, noting a drop from around 339 Muslim MLAs in 2013 to about 255 recently, with sharp falls in states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar. He advocated for adopting proportional representation systems, as seen in countries like Germany or Sri Lanka, to ensure fairer political inclusion. Tamil Nadu, however, saw a slight increase in Muslim MLAs—from seven to nine—in the 2026 elections.