The BRICS TimesTamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam sailed through the floor test comfortably backed by Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, and a rebel AMMK MLA. The trust vote exposed a deep split inside AIADMK, with the Shanmugam-Velumani faction openly defying Edappadi Palaniswami’s whip.
Tamil Nadu’s newest Chief Minister has wasted no time in showing who runs the House. C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government barely weeks old sailed through its floor test on Wednesday, May 13, in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. With the DMK staging a walkout, the majority mark dropped from 117 to 88 in the 232-member House. That gave Vijay’s coalition a smooth runway.
TVK Secures 121 Seats, Crosses Majority Mark Comfortably
TVK entered the floor test holding 107 Assembly seats. However, one MLA R Seenivasa Sethupathy of Tirupattur was barred from voting. The Madras High Court issued that order following a case by a rival DMK candidate who lost by just one vote. Sethupathy challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, seeking urgent hearing. Despite that setback, the numbers still held firm for Vijay’s side.
Congress brought in five MLAs. CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML contributed two seats each forming a firm allied bloc around the TVK. Then came an unexpected bonus expelled AMMK MLA S Kamaraj switched sides dramatically and pledged his full backing to the new government. That pushed the coalition’s total strength to 121, well above the revised majority mark of 88.
AMMK’s Kamaraj Switches Sides Gives Vijay a Dramatic Pledge
Kamaraj made his position crystal clear on the floor of the Assembly. “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,” he said.
His statement almost reminiscent of a loyalty vow drew both laughter and applause across the House.
VCK MLA Raises Key Demands State Rights, Honour Killings, Eelam Tamils
VCK MLA Vanni Arasu spoke strongly during the debate on the confidence motion. He assured that secular parties were backing the government with no conditions attached and that the TVK government would finish its five-year term without trouble. He stressed that this backing was crucial to preventing what he described as BJP’s indirect push for Governor’s Rule in Tamil Nadu.
Arasu praised Vijay for personally meeting opposition leaders after taking office calling it a rare display of political maturity. He pushed the government to take a firm stand on state rights, fishermen’s issues, and the contentious constituency delimitation debate.
He also demanded a special law against honour killings pointing out that such crimes are rising in Tamil Nadu. He called for implementing recommendations from the Justice Arumugasamy Commission. He also pushed for a separate law targeting superstitious practices, astrology, black magic, and fraudulent rituals similar to laws already on the books in other states.
This demand came right as the TVK was facing backlash for appointing prominent astrologer Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Personal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Arasu also urged the Tamil Nadu government to observe May 18 in solidarity with Eelam Tamils and appealed for Indian citizenship to be granted to Sri Lankan Tamils living in camps across the state.
He further requested that flagship welfare schemes the breakfast scheme, the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme, and the 200-unit free electricity benefit must continue through the full five-year term.
Vijay Pledges Secular Governance “Speed of a Horse, No Horse Trading”
Addressing the Assembly while replying to the debate, Chief Minister Vijay kept his remarks sharp and pointed. He reaffirmed that his government would remain secular in every aspect of its functioning. Then came a line that became the quote of the day “This government will function with the speed of a horse and not indulge in horse trading,” Vijay said firmly, drawing applause from allies.
DMK Walks Out, Opposition Divided
Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin announced during the debate that the DMK would walk out rather than vote. Following his speech in which he opposed backing the TVK government all DMK members exited the Assembly. With their 59 MLAs gone, the effective strength of the House shrank considerably, making Vijay’s path to victory even more straightforward.
Other parties were divided in their stances. BJP chose to remain neutral during the confidence motion. PMK abstained from voting altogether. Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi leader M Thamimun Ansari opposed the motion criticising the appointment of astrologer Vettrivel as OSD. He stated that astrology had no place in governance and called the appointment “unacceptable.” Manithaneya Makkal Katchi a known DMK ally also voted against the motion, with party leader M H Jawahirullah opposing Vijay’s government.
In the final count, 22 MLAs voted against the confidence motion, while five members remained neutral. Vijay’s TVK government was confirmed with a clear majority ensuring the continuation of the new administration.
AIADMK Split Bursts Into the Open, Velumani Backs Vijay Amid Uproar
The floor test proved to be a moment of reckoning for the AIADMK already dealing with months of simmering internal tensions. Two factions have now emerged openly. One faction rallies around former Chief Minister and party General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. The other backed by senior leaders CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani openly defied the party line.
Palaniswami had issued a clear whip to all AIADMK MLAs directing them to vote against Vijay’s TVK. The threat of disqualification under the Anti-Defection Act loomed large. AIADMK Rajya Sabha member I S Inpathurai had warned publicly: “The Anti-Defection Act under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution will definitely apply to any AIADMK MLA who acts in violation of the orders of the official whip appointed by AIADMK General Secretary and Legislative Party Leader Edappadi Palaniswami. If a member votes against the order of the party’s official whip during a vote of confidence in the government in the legislature, abstains from voting, or remains neutral, it will be considered a party defection.”
Despite that warning, Speaker Prabhakar allowed rebel AIADMK leader SP Velumani of the CV Shanmugam faction to speak during the debate. Velumani took the floor amid loud protests and jeering from Palaniswami’s supporters. He extended his faction’s full support to the Vijay government a moment that effectively cemented the AIADMK fracture in plain public view.
An AIADMK MLA aligned with Palaniswami told ANI: “All decisions will be taken by Edappadi K Palaniswami. About 25 MLAs will come here. The majority is on our side.”
Ahead of the floor test, Vijay had also visited the office of former Tamil Nadu minister CV Shanmugam signalling clearly that he was working to consolidate the rebel AIADMK faction. Local media reports suggested that Palaniswami was likely to approach the courts to challenge the Shanmugam faction’s stance.
The Velumani-Shanmugam group controls more than 31 MLAs and since this crosses the two-thirds threshold of the AIADMK’s 47-seat count in the Assembly, the Anti-Defection Law cannot technically apply to them. That legal shield makes the rebel faction’s position far more secure than Palaniswami would like.
This floor test the first in Tamil Nadu’s history to be telecast live has not just confirmed Vijay’s majority. It has also set the stage for a prolonged legal and political battle inside the AIADMK that is far from over.
