District secretaries of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (ThaVeKa), many of whom worked with Vijay from the days of the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, are reportedly pressing the party leadership to allot them ministerial posts. The demand has created anxiety within the ruling camp, with sitting ministers said to be uneasy.
ThaVeKa leads the coalition government in Tamil Nadu under Chief Minister Vijay. The current cabinet includes 30 ministers from ThaVeKa, while coalition partners have ministerial representation as well—two from the Congress and one each from the VCK and IUML.
Party functionaries said the party was launched with assurances that those who toiled in the earlier movement would be prioritised for positions, but only about 60% of party posts went to movement office-bearers. They also pointed to outsiders being elevated to senior roles and alleged that many candidates with little prior connection to the party were given Assembly tickets, fuelling internal resentment.
After the party formed the government, several senior MLAs did not get cabinet berths, while a set of newer faces were inducted as ministers, the sources said. With some MLAs and district-level leaders now seeking ministerial and organisational posts, the general secretary Anand is said to be under pressure, even as ministers fear a possible reshuffle could cost them their positions.
