The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay comfortably won the trust vote in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, securing support from alliance partners as well as a section of rebel AIADMK legislators.
The confidence motion received support from 144 MLAs, while 22 members voted against it. Five MLAs chose to remain neutral during the proceedings.
Speaker JCD Prabhakar announced the results after division-wise voting in the House.
The victory strengthens Vijay’s position just days after the actor-turned-politician assumed office as chief minister following the Assembly elections.
DMK stages walkout before voting
The main opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam staged a walkout ahead of the voting process, reducing the effective strength of the House during the floor test.
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised the TVK government during the Assembly proceedings before leading the walkout.
“We are walking out of the Assembly. Once we walk out, you will get the majority. Govern well with it,” Udhayanidhi said, while also urging the government not to politicise welfare schemes introduced by the previous administration.
The DMK’s exit from the House made the trust vote smoother for the ruling alliance.
Congress, Left parties and VCK back TVK
The TVK government received support from alliance partners including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
The coalition, along with supporting independents and expelled legislators, helped the government comfortably cross the majority mark.
An expelled Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) MLA, S Kamaraj, also voted in favour of the government.
Speaking outside the House, Kamaraj said he would continue supporting the Vijay-led administration for the next five years.
The TVK currently holds 107 Assembly seats, though one of its MLAs, Srinivasa Sethupathi, was barred from participating in the trust vote following a Madras High Court order linked to an election petition.
AIADMK rebels defy party leadership
One of the major developments during the floor test was the apparent cross-voting by a faction of rebel legislators from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Senior AIADMK leaders including SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam were seen backing the government despite party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami directing all AIADMK MLAs to oppose the trust motion.
The Assembly witnessed tense exchanges between rival factions within the AIADMK during the proceedings.
Palaniswami alleged attempts were made to lure opposition MLAs with promises of ministerial positions and appointments to government boards in exchange for support to the ruling coalition.
“We are not an enemy party; we wish to function as a responsible Opposition,” he said in the House.
TVK marks major political breakthrough in Tamil Nadu
The floor test victory marks another milestone for the TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, ending decades of dominance by the DMK-AIADMK political rivalry.
Vijay’s rise has significantly altered Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with the actor’s party rapidly consolidating support across multiple political groups.
(With inputs from Agencies)