The government led by actor-turned-politician Vijay has successfully passed the floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, proving its majority in the House.
The trust vote saw 144 votes cast in favour of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.
DMK Boycotts Floor Test
While the Vijay-led government comfortably proved its majority, the opposition M. K. Stalin-led DMK, which won 59 seats in the Assembly elections, boycotted the trust vote proceedings and stayed away from voting.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly has a total strength of 234 seats, with the majority mark set at 118.
Seat Distribution in Tamil Nadu Assembly
The recently concluded Assembly elections produced the following results:
- TVK: 108 seats
- DMK: 59 seats
- AIADMK: 47 seats
- Congress: 5 seats
- PMK: 4 seats
With DMK abstaining from the voting process, the effective majority number in the House was reduced, making the floor test easier for the TVK government.
Support from Allies and AIADMK MLAs
The Vijay-led government received support from several parties including Congress, CPI, CPM, IUML, and AMMK.
Significantly, 24 AIADMK legislators also voted in favour of the TVK government during the trust vote. One AIADMK MLA remained absent during the voting.
Meanwhile, PMK’s four MLAs and the lone BJP MLA maintained silence during the proceedings.
Divided Stand Within AIADMK
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami opposed the Vijay government’s claim of majority.
However, Leader of Opposition S. P. Velumani announced support for the TVK government, exposing differences within the AIADMK leadership over the new political arrangement.
Tamil Nadu Election Timeline
Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections was held in a single phase on April 23, while the results were announced on May 4.
TVK emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 108 seats, marking a major political breakthrough for Vijay in his first major electoral contest.
Vijay Issues Major Order After Becoming Chief Minister
Soon after assuming office as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay issued a major directive targeting liquor outlets in the state.
The Chief Minister ordered the closure of 717 state-run liquor shops located within 500 metres of temples, schools, and bus stands.
According to the order, all identified liquor outlets must be shut down within the next 15 days.
First Major Administrative Decision
The move is being seen as Vijay’s first major administrative decision after taking charge as Chief Minister.
The decision has sparked significant political discussion across the state, with supporters describing it as a strong social reform measure aimed at protecting educational and religious spaces.