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Vijay finally proves majority, passes floor test with backing from 144 MLAs
Chaos erupted as AIADMK chief Edapaddi Palaniswami opposed the confidence vote and said that all of the party's 47 MLAs would stand against the TVK.
Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay won a crucial trust vote in the state Assembly on Wednesday, with support from 144 MLAs, which included legislators from his party TVK.
Smaller parties like IUML, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), and Congress were quick to show support to Vijay, quickly taking the TVK tally to 117, exactly the mark needed to prove majority.
However, the tally further improved for team Vijay as an internal AIADMK rift was thrown open in the Assembly. AIADMK chief Edapaddi Palaniswami opposed the confidence vote and said that all of the party's 47 MLAs would stand against the TVK, and the rival faction led by SP Velumani proved him wrong moments later. Follow live updates on Tamil Nadu trust vote here.
Velumani had pledged support to Vijay a day before, vowing that 21 of AIADMK MPs would back the actor-turned-politician's party.
After the counting of votes during the floor test ended, this is where the tally stood on backing TVK:
| Party | MLAs backing TVK |
|---|---|
| TVK's existing tally | 105 |
| Rebel AIADMK faction | 25 |
| Congress | 5 |
| CPI | 2 |
| CPIM | 2 |
| IUML | 2 |
| VCK | 2 |
| AMMK | 1 |
Inside the floor test math
The floor test victory came as a big development for Vijay, who had been engaged in a power struggle for many days despite TVK's stunning show in Tamil Nadu elections. The party stopped barely short of the 118 majority mark when results were announced on May 4.
After days of suspense, Vijay received the invite from Governor RV Arlekar to form the government, and the actor-turned-politician took oath as chief minister on Sunday, May 10.
As per rules, Vijay was required to prove majority in the Assembly after the swearing-in. With Vijay dropping the Tiruchirappalli (East) seat from the two constituencies he won, and with Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar not being eligible to partake in the voting, the TVK tally stood at 105. A mark of 117 was needed to win the floor test, but the outcome comfortably passed that requirement.
Vijay's first reaction after trust vote win
Reacting to the TVK sailing through in the floor test, chief minister Vijay said his government will certainly be 'secular' in governance. “This government will not indulge in horse-trading and will function with the speed of a horse,” Vijay said.
He further added that all the previous welfare schemes will be continued under his government.
Meanwhile, the DMK staged a walkout in the Tamil Nadu Assembly during the trust vote. Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu, Udhyanidhi Stalin took a dig at TVK, saying the smaller parties had only backed it because they didn't want imposition of President's rule in the state.
