Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay won the floor test with 144 votes instead of the magic figure 118 in the 234 members’ assembly. As per the Governor’s directions CM Vijay faced the floor test of his Government’s majority members in the assembly on Wednesday.

Assembly election results were declared on May 4^th, TVK won 108 seats. The party only had 107 MLAs as party Chief C Joseph Vijay contested in two seats. Vijay formed the Government with the help of Congress (05), CPI, CPM each two seats, VCK (02) and IUML (02) seats with a capacity of 121 members.

A faction of AIADMK MLAs led by former minister C Ve Shanmugam announced support for TVK. A total of 25 AIADMK MLAs voted in favour of the TVK Government, taking its support to 144. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palanisami’s faction 22 MLAs voted against the motion. The 59 MLAs of the DMK and DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakant abstained from voting by staging a walkout. Four MLAs of the PMK and one MLA of the BJP remained neutral.

AMMK MLA S Kamaraj voted in favour of the TVK Government. Other allies of the DMK including the DMDK and KMDK criticized the government and opposed the confidence vote. Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly criticized the four-day-old Vijay government, stating that the party’s alleged decision to join hands with the AIADMK breakaway faction contradicted his claims of offering clean governance.

Premallatha, Palaniswami and Udhayanidhi all referred to allegations of the TVK indulging in horse-trading to secure a majority for the Government. Velumani was also allowed to speak by the speaker despite opposition from the Palaniswami faction.

After winning the floor test, CM Vijay assured the Assembly that his Government is guided by the ideals of Periyar, Kamarajar, Ambedkar, Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal, and would uphold social justice, equality, secularism and true democracy. He said the administration would work for ordinary people without caste, religious or political discrimination, while protecting Tamil culture and acting with courage and civility.

Stressing that the Government was formed not for power or authority but to serve the people who trusted it, he said it would be inclusive, non-intimidating and focused solely on public welfare. He also thanked alliance leaders and legislators for supporting the Government.