The BRICS TimesTamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay won the confidence motion with 144 votes on May 13 but the real story was the chaos that unfolded inside the Assembly, from a DMK walkout and AIADMK rebellion to a controversial astrologer appointment that had allies fuming.
Vijay Passes the First Big Test But Not Without a Fight
Tamil Nadu’s newest Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, cleared his government’s first major political hurdle on Wednesday winning the confidence motion in the Legislative Assembly with 144 votes in his favour. But the numbers alone tell only half the story. The floor test on May 13 was a riveting political spectacle one packed with angry walkouts, sharp accusations, a party split right on the Assembly floor, and a last-minute controversy over a personal astrologer.
Of the total votes cast, 22 MLAs opposed the motion and five chose to abstain. Once the vote concluded, the Assembly was adjourned sine die. The majority mark had slipped from 117 to just 88 a direct result of the DMK’s dramatic exit from the House before voting began.
Udhayanidhi Fires the First Shot
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin did not hold back. He led all DMK legislators out of the Assembly but not before delivering a blistering speech on the floor. He challenged the very legitimacy of the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, pointing out that the ruling alliance could not claim an independent majority in the 234-seat House. “You do not have the 118 seats required for a majority,” he said bluntly. “Due to lack of confidence in winning, the Chief Minister contested from two constituencies and later resigned from one. He has not even thanked the people yet.”
Stalin also took aim at Vijay’s reported meeting with rebel AIADMK leaders on the morning of the trust vote calling it textbook political poaching. He summed up his criticism with a pointed question to the House: “People are asking whether this is the change or exchange politics.” With that, DMK members walked out.
AIADMK Splits Right Down the Middle
If the DMK walkout was dramatic, the events within the AIADMK were even more explosive. Party general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced that all 47 of his faction’s MLAs would vote against the confidence motion. He objected strongly to Vijay’s meeting with rebel leaders and branded their support as illegitimate. He also claimed without mincing words that AIADMK members were being offered cash to back the trust vote.
Then came the real flashpoint. Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar invited rebel AIADMK leader S.P. Velumani of the C. Ve. Shanmugam faction to address the House during the debate. Palaniswami’s loyalists erupted in loud protest. Despite the uproar, the Speaker held firm. “I have the authority to allow any member to speak,” he maintained. Velumani speaking over continuous protests extended his faction’s support to the Vijay government. Of the 47 AIADMK MLAs, 25 voted for Vijay while 22 sided with Palaniswami. The split was now official and very, very public. Disqualification proceedings against the rebel group are expected to follow.
Vijay’s Astrologer Appointment Stirs a Fresh Storm
Just a day before the trust vote, CM Vijay had appointed his personal astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vetrivel as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Chief Minister’s political office. The backlash was swift and came from unexpected quarters not just the opposition, but allies too. DMDK president Premalatha Vijayakanth, who was extending support to the government, still condemned the move. “If Radhan Pandit Vetrivel is your spiritual guide, appoint him in a private capacity designating him as a political advisor is objectionable,” she said plainly.
Facing mounting criticism during the floor test debate itself, Vijay said he would reconsider the appointment. True to his word he revoked the order shortly after the trust vote concluded.
Allies Speak Up, BJP Stays Neutral
Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) all extended support to the TVK government during the debate. AMMK also backed Vijay. PMK chose to abstain. BJP’s Bhojrajan struck a calibrated tone expressing regret over what he called baseless aspersions cast on his party in the House while confirming the BJP would remain neutral.
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi legislator M.H. Jawahirullah used his time to urge the new government to continue opposing NEET and reject the PM SHRI education scheme linking the trust vote debate to Tamil Nadu’s long-running resistance to central education policies.
Vijay Responds With a Horse Metaphor
Replying to the debate, CM Vijay kept his address brief but pointed. He promised his government would function in a “secular” manner. Taking a direct dig at the horse-trading allegations, he said “This government will function with the speed of a horse and not indulge in horse trading.” The House responded with cheers from the treasury benches.
With the trust vote behind him, Vijay now steers a government that rests on a patchwork of coalition support, a fractured opposition, and the loyalty of rebel MLAs whose political future hangs in uncertainty. The drama in the Assembly may be over for now but the political theatre in Tamil Nadu is only just warming up.
