Vijay Government Wins Trust Vote in Tamil Nadu Assembly Amid Opposition Turmoil

Chennai, May 2026 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday comfortably won the crucial confidence motion in the Legislative Assembly, enabling the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government to clear its first major political hurdle since assuming office earlier this week.

The confidence motion was passed with 144 votes in favour, while 22 legislators voted against the government. Five MLAs abstained from the voting process. Following the successful floor test, the Assembly was adjourned sine die.

The trust vote, however, unfolded amid dramatic political developments, including a walkout by the DMK, visible divisions within the AIADMK, and heated scenes inside the House as rival factions clashed over the legitimacy of support extended to the ruling alliance.

Before the voting began, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin led all DMK members out of the Assembly after strongly criticising the Vijay-led government during the debate on the confidence motion. Stalin accused the Chief Minister of encouraging defections within the AIADMK and alleged that the government lacked an independent majority.

Referring to the political developments surrounding the trust vote, Stalin questioned whether the state was witnessing “change or exchange” in politics. He alleged that the TVK administration was surviving on outside support and internal divisions within opposition parties rather than on its own political strength.

The political atmosphere became more tense after AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami declared that all 47 MLAs loyal to his faction would vote against the confidence motion. Palaniswami also objected to Vijay’s reported interaction with rebel AIADMK legislators earlier in the day and questioned the legitimacy of their support for the government.

The situation escalated when Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar invited senior rebel AIADMK leader S.P. Velumani to speak during the debate on the motion. MLAs aligned with Palaniswami protested strongly against the Speaker’s decision, leading to loud exchanges inside the Assembly.

Despite the protests, the Speaker maintained that he had the authority to allow any member to participate in the debate. Velumani subsequently addressed the House and later led the rebel AIADMK legislators in voting in favour of the TVK government, exposing the widening split within the principal opposition party.

The support extended by the rebel AIADMK faction significantly boosted the ruling alliance’s numbers and helped the government secure a comfortable majority during the floor test.

Replying to the debate before the vote, Chief Minister Vijay defended his government and reiterated its commitment to secular governance and administrative stability. In a sharp political remark aimed at the opposition, Vijay said his government would “function with the speed of a horse and not indulge in horse trading.”

He also assured the Assembly that all major welfare schemes introduced by previous governments would continue uninterrupted under the TVK administration.

The successful trust vote is expected to strengthen Vijay’s position politically while intensifying the leadership battle and factional divisions within the AIADMK in the days ahead.