Vijay officially proved his majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday, securing a major political victory for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led coalition government. The development marks the formal beginning of a new political era in Tamil Nadu after decades of domination by the DMK and AIADMK.
The trust vote was conducted after Governor R. V. Arlekar directed the newly formed government to demonstrate its majority on or before May 13. Vijay comfortably crossed the required numbers with support from alliance partners and rebel legislators from the AIADMK camp.
During the voting process, 144 MLAs backed the Vijay government while 22 voted against the motion. Five legislators abstained from voting. The result gave the new Chief Minister a comfortable victory and strengthened his political position within days of assuming office.
The trust vote also exposed major divisions inside the AIADMK. While party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced that the party would oppose the government, a rebel faction led by senior leaders openly supported Vijay. The internal rebellion has now intensified the leadership crisis inside the AIADMK after its poor performance in the Assembly elections.
Ahead of the vote, Vijay met senior rebel leader Shanmugam, triggering widespread political speculation. Rebel leaders later accused the AIADMK leadership of considering indirect support from the DMK, a move they claimed would have damaged the party’s identity and legacy.
Addressing the Assembly after proving his majority, Vijay thanked the legislators who supported the government and promised a democratic administration focused on people’s welfare. He also stated that every political party in the House deserves equal respect regardless of the number of seats it holds.
The successful trust vote has now firmly established Vijay as the new power centre in Tamil Nadu politics. With the DMK in opposition and the AIADMK struggling with internal conflicts, the state has entered a completely new political phase under the leadership of TVK.
