Tamil Nadu Government Floor Test: Vijay-Led TVK Govt Wins Trust Vote With 144 Votes in Favour, 22 Against

Chennai, May 13: Newly elected Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday sailed through the floor test in the Legislative Assembly with 144 votes in favour. With its allies, the TVK held a strength of 120 MLAs in the House. 22 MLAs voted against the TVK, and five MLAs abstained. However, the DMK staged a walkout, reducing the total strength of the House during the voting. The number of MLAs supporting Vijay shows that a block of AIADMK rebels disobeyed the party whip and voted against it.

The TVK won the floor test as Congress, CPI, CPI(M), and VCK MLAs extended support to the party. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which has two MLAs, has also extended support to the TVK government. Expelled Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) MLA Kamaraj has also supported TVK in the Assembly. He said, "I supported the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government yesterday, I support it today, and I will continue to support it for the next five years. CM Vijay is protecting the entire state. I believe he will not leave me either. I am sure our Vijay will protect and save me too." Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Appoints Astrologer Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, Who Predicted TVK’s Victory, As OSD.

While AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said that all 47 MLAs will vote against the TVK, the Assembly witnessed an ADMK versus ADMK showdown. Former minister and party MLA SP Velumani also spoke during the Assembly proceedings, and was objected to by supporters of Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Alleging attempts to lure MLAs, Palaniswami claimed information had reached the party that some members were being offered ministerial posts and board chairman positions in exchange for supporting the government. "We are not an enemy party; we wish to function as a responsible Opposition," EPS said in the Assembly.

The TVK holds 107 seats in the Assembly, after Vijay resigned from Trichy East and retained Perambur. However, the party had 106 MLAs to vote after the Madras High Court directed TVK leader Srinivasa Sethupathi not to participate in the Assembly confidence vote after the DMK challenged the poll results in Tirupattur in the court. The party gained support from Congress (five seats), along with the CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML, which contribute two seats each. Adding one expelled AMMK MLA, the coalition's strength currently stands at 120 seats (excluding Srinivasa Sethupathi). BJP to Maintain Neutral Stand in Tamil Nadu Assembly, Says MLA Bhojarajan as TVK Undertakes Floor Test.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLAs staged a walkout during the voting. Leader of Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, took a jibe at the TVK for taking away its allies, including Congress. "We are walking out of the Assembly. Once we walk out, you will get the majority. Govern well with it. I request you not to politicise the welfare schemes introduced by our government," he said. TVK made history by emerging as the single-largest party in the elections, as Tamil Nadu looked beyond the DMK-ADMK binary.