Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay secured a majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with support from Congress
May 13, 2026: Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday successfully proved his majority in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, strengthening the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government. The trust vote saw support from alliance partners including the Congress, Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), all of whom had earlier backed Vijay’s claim to form the government before the Governor. Meanwhile, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged a walkout during the proceedings.
The floor test began at 9:30 am and was broadcast live for the first time in Tamil Nadu politics, drawing massive public attention. Ahead of the vote, political alignments shifted significantly, with the PMK withdrawing from the test and the BJP choosing to remain neutral. AMMK MLA Kamaraj openly backed Vijay’s government, though the move resulted in his expulsion from the party. The confidence motion also triggered political buzz after reports emerged that some AIADMK MLAs cross-voted in favour of the TVK government, exposing possible cracks within the opposition party.
Ahead of the vote, the TVK held 107 seats and also received backing from Congress, IUML, VCK, CPI and CPM legislators. However, the ruling alliance faced a setback after TVK MLA Srinivasa Sethupathi was barred from voting following a Madras High Court order. Sethupathi has now approached the Supreme Court, arguing that preventing him from participating in the floor test weakens the mandate given by voters in Tirupattur.