Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay secured a victory in the Legislative Assembly with 144 votes in favor, passing the confidence motion for his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government. Despite 22 MLAs voting against the motion, the Chief Minister emerged successful. The Assembly adjourned sine die following the trust vote.
The floor test was marked by intense moments, including the DMK’s walkout, internal divisions within the AIADMK, and heated debates among different factions in the House. Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin led the DMK MLAs out of the Assembly, criticizing the Vijay-led government for alleged encouragement of political defections.
During the debate, Stalin raised concerns about the government’s stability, questioning whether Tamil Nadu was experiencing genuine change or mere political exchange. He also accused the TVK government of lacking a secure majority and surviving through external support and defections. The situation escalated when AIADMK’s Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced opposition to the confidence motion with his faction’s 47 MLAs.
Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar’s decision to allow rebel AIADMK leader S.P. Velumani to speak during the trust motion debate triggered chaos in the Assembly. Despite protests from Palaniswami’s loyalists, Velumani and rebel MLAs supported the TVK government, revealing deep divisions within the opposition party. Chief Minister Vijay, in his response, emphasized his government’s commitment to secular governance and continuity of welfare schemes.
