In a dramatic session of the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, Chief Minister Vijay emerged triumphant in his first major test of leadership by winning the trust vote with the support of 144 MLAs—well above the required majority of 118. The proceedings were marked by high political drama as members of the DMK and DMDK staged a walkout, while four PMK MLAs and one BJP legislator chose to abstain from voting.
Vijay’s commanding win was bolstered by the unexpected support of at least 25 MLAs from a rebel AIADMK faction led by Shanmugam and SP Velumani. This internal rift within the AIADMK was laid bare as these MLAs defied party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami’s directive and sided with the Chief Minister. The party, which has 47 MLAs, now finds itself split, with only 22 remaining loyal to EPS.
The Chief Minister’s own party, TVK, emerged as the single largest force, and was further backed by five Congress MLAs, eight legislators from the Left parties, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League. The coalition’s strength ensured that Vijay crossed the majority threshold with ease, despite one of his supporting MLAs being barred from voting by a Madras High Court order.
Amid allegations of horse-trading from the EPS camp, Vijay responded that his government was moving at “horse speed,” but insisted there was no horse-trading. He also reaffirmed his commitment to secular governance and pledged to continue welfare schemes introduced by previous administrations.
While the trust vote solidified Vijay’s position as Chief Minister, it also exposed significant fissures within the opposition, particularly the AIADMK. The rebel faction’s numbers fall short of the two-thirds majority required to formally merge with the ruling party under the anti-defection law, leaving the political landscape in Tamil Nadu in a state of flux as allegiances continue to shift.
With the backing of at least 25 AIADMK faction MLAs led by Shanmugam and SP Velumani, Vijay comfortably crossed the majority mark in the trust vote despite one supporting legislator being barred by the Madras High Court from participating in the floor test.
Also Read: Vijay Does What BJP Didn’t: Full ‘Vande Mataram’ at Swearing-In https://www.vibesofindia.com/vijay-does-what-bjp-didnt-full-vande-mataram-at-swearing-in/
