Vijay passes ground test, gets 144 MLAs in support TVK: How high-stakes rally showdown unfolds

New Delhi: tamil nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay won the crucial Lok Sabha test in the state Assembly on Wednesday, formally proving the majority of his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led post-poll alliance.Governor RV Arlekar directed the newly formed government to prove its majority on or before May 13, following which the Assembly held a confidence vote.

With his victory in the House, the actor-turned-politician has now formed the first newcomer-led coalition government in Tamil Nadu’s Dravid political era, breaking the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK.DMK won 59 seats while AIADMK was reduced to 47. TVK participated in its first parliamentary elections just two years after its founding, becoming the largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member House of Representatives.Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on May 7 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, becoming the first non-DMK and non-AIADMK chief minister of Tamil Nadu since 1967.

How did Vijay get these numbers?

Amid the trust vote proceedings, rebel factions of the Congress, CPM, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Muslim League (IUML) and AIADMK extended support to the TVK government, helping CM Vijay easily win the Lok Sabha test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Earlier, the Madras High Court barred TVK MLA Srinivasa Sethupathi, who won from Tirupattur constituency by one vote, from participating in the floor test. The restraining order was issued on the plea of ​​former DMK minister KR Periyakaruppan, who lost the constituency by one vote.

How did CM Vijay get there?

The 234-member parliament needs 118 seats to achieve a majority. While TVK won 108 seats, the party’s effective strength fell to 107 after Vijay vacated one of the two seats he won after becoming chief minister.That leaves the party 11 seats short of a majority. The Congress, which won five seats, took the lead in supporting TVK, ending its long alliance with the DMK. The Communist Party of India and the CPM, each holding two seats, also announced their support for Vijay.The breakthrough came after VCK and IUML initially distanced themselves from the alliance before finally agreeing to support the TVK-led government after days of negotiations.TVK also has the support of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) MLA S Kamaraj. The alliance’s strength eventually rose to 121 seats, allowing Vijay to easily prove his majority in parliament.

AIADMK vs. Distortions in AIADMK Assembly

Just a day before the trust vote, Vijay personally visited the residence of senior AIADMK rebel leader C Ve Shanmugam in Chennai, fueling speculation that a section of the AIADMK was gearing up to support the new government.Around 30 AIADMK MLAs believed to belong to the rebel camp have publicly questioned the leadership of party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami following the party’s poor electoral performance.The AIADMK won only 47 of the 164 seats it contested. Shanmugam accused Palaniswami of seeking an arrangement with the DMK to prevent Vijay from forming the government.“In the recently concluded elections, we faced defeat. Not only in the recently concluded elections, but in the previous elections, we suffered defeat. We request the General Secretary to convene a General Council meeting to discuss the reasons behind these electoral failures and take further action for the benefit and development of the party. ““Some people have proposed that we, as the legislative party of the AIADMK, should form the government with the support of the DMK. This proposal goes against the founding principles of our party as the AIADMK was formed to eradicate the DMK, which we consider to be an evil force in Tamil Nadu,” he added.The allegation assumes political significance as the AIADMK was formed as the DMK’s archrival, making any possible understanding between the two parties highly contentious within the party.The rebel faction, led by former ministers SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam, openly supported the Vijay government and elected Velumani as its party leader in the legislature. Shanmugam said support for Vijay was necessary to restore the “Amma Rule” associated with former chief minister Jayalalithaa.“He (Paradiswami) wants to form a government with the support of the DMK,” Shanmugam claimed. He further stated, “We formed this party to oppose the DMK. For 53 years, our politics has been against it. In view of this, a proposal to form the AIADMK government with the support of the DMK was rejected… If we form such an alliance, the AIADMK will cease to exist.”“The people’s mandate is not given to TVK but to Chief Minister Vijay,” he added. The comments from the rebel camp have fueled speculations that sections of the AIADMK see Vijay as the political successor to the emotional mass politics once epitomized by MGR and Jayalalithaa.

A whip to restrain MLAs from all political parties

Meanwhile, the AIADMK leadership tried to contain the rebellion by issuing a whip ahead of the floor test. Federal House MP IS Inbadurai has warned that any provincial MP who violates the official whip could face disqualification under the anti-defection law.Sharing a post on X, Inbadurai said the whip issued by AIADMK general secretary and legislative party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami will be binding on all party MLAs.The DMK, however, denied reports of any understanding with the AIADMK after the polls and insisted that it will be the opposition party. Political observers believe that the DMK may benefit from the ongoing infighting in the AIADMK.Earlier this week, Vijay delivered his maiden speech in Parliament and said the House should act as the “heart and brain” of democracy. He said every political party, regardless of its strength, should be treated with equal respect in parliament.“Everyone is equal here. Even the views of a party represented by a single member in the House must be given equal weight as the views expressed by the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam member who has a greater mandate,” Vijay said.He added: “Good advice must be accepted and inappropriate advice must be rejected. This Parliament must function as the heart and brain of democracy.”