TVK government wins floor test with 144 votes — AIADMK rebels back Vijay, DMK walks out

On 13 May 2026, the newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government comfortably won the assembly floor test, proving majority with 144 votes — well above the 118-seat simple majority mark in the 234-member House.

The trust vote followed intense political maneuvering in the days after the April 2026 elections, which had produced a hung assembly. TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats but fell short of the majority mark. Speaker JCD Prabhakar's election from the TVK bench reduced the government's active voting strength to 106, making alliances essential.

The decisive factor was a split within the AIADMK. Despite a formal party whip issued by EPS (Edappadi K. Palaniswami) directing all AIADMK MLAs to vote against, a rebel bloc of 25–30 MLAs defied the directive and backed TVK. Senior leaders C.V. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani led the rebellion, citing the need to prevent political instability in Tamil Nadu.

Congress, VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi), IUML, and the Left parties — TVK's formal coalition allies — voted in support. The DMK, led by Udhayanidhi Stalin and holding 59 seats, staged a walkout during the trust vote rather than casting a ballot against. Only 22 MLAs voted against the government.

EPS declared the floor test a "survival test" for the AIADMK and warned that MLAs who defied the whip would face disqualification proceedings. Constitutional experts noted that such proceedings are governed by the anti-defection law and could take months to resolve in the courts.

Speaking after the result, CM Vijay thanked all supporting MLAs and reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting minority rights and governing for all people of Tamil Nadu, regardless of the party they voted for. The vote marks a historic break in Tamil Nadu politics — ending the 59-year DMK–AIADMK duopoly with a third force winning and proving majority on the floor.