TVK government wins Tamil Nadu floor test with 144 votes; DMK and allies stage walk out

Vijay wins floor test: The Vijay-led TVK government on Wednesday comfortably won the confidence motion in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after securing the support of 144 MLAs, well above the majority mark of 118.

The floor test, however, witnessed high political drama as members of the DMK and DMDK staged a walkout before voting began. Their exit significantly reduced the effective strength of the House during the trust vote.

Adding to the unusual political situation, four PMK legislators and one BJP MLA chose to abstain from the voting process.

AIADMK rebel faction appears to back Vijay

The rival AIADMK faction led by rebel leaders Shanmugam and SP Velumani appeared to extend support to the Chief Minister during the trust vote.

The faction reportedly enjoys the backing of 30 out of the party’s 47 MLAs. Based on the voting figures, at least 25 legislators from the AIADMK camp are believed to have voted in favour of the TVK government.

The support further strengthened Vijay’s position in the Assembly and ensured a smooth victory for the ruling side.

One MLA barred from participating

Before the voting, the government already had the support of 120 MLAs. However, one legislator, who had earlier won an election by a margin of a single vote, was not allowed to participate in the proceedings after the Madras High Court barred him from taking part in the trust vote. Despite the setback, the ruling camp managed to increase its tally comfortably during the final count.

Only 22 MLAs vote against government

With the Opposition benches largely empty following the walkout and abstentions, only 22 legislators from the EPS-led camp voted against the confidence motion.

The reduced attendance in the House eventually worked in favour of the Vijay government, allowing it to pass the trust vote with ease and reinforce its hold on power in Tamil Nadu.