Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Wins Trust Vote in Assembly with 144 Votes Amid Opposition Walkout

Chennai, May 13, 2026: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay successfully proved his majority in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday after the confidence motion moved by the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government was passed with 144 votes in favour. The trust vote marked the first major political test for Chief Minister Vijay since assuming office. While 144 MLAs voted in support of the motion, 22 members voted against it, and five abstained during the voting process. The Assembly session witnessed high political drama and heated exchanges before the voting began. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin led a walkout of all DMK MLAs, along with DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakant, after strongly criticising the TVK government inside the House. During his speech, Udhayanidhi Stalin accused Chief Minister Vijay of engaging in political bargaining after reports emerged about Vijay’s meeting with rebel AIADMK leaders on May 12. Questioning the political developments, he asked whether the situation represented “change or exchange” in Tamil Nadu politics. The trust vote gained further attention after a major split within the AIADMK became visible on the Assembly floor. A group of 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs led by C.Ve. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani extended support to the TVK government and voted in favour of the confidence motion. Meanwhile, the faction led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) opposed the government, with 22 AIADMK MLAs voting against the motion. Tense scenes unfolded in the Assembly as rebel AIADMK MLAs openly backed the ruling TVK government, leading to commotion and sharp reactions from opposition benches. With the successful trust vote, Chief Minister Vijay has crossed his first major legislative hurdle and strengthened his position in Tamil Nadu politics. The development is expected to significantly reshape alliances and opposition dynamics in the State in the coming months. #TamilNadu #Vijay #TVK #TrustVote #TamilNaduAssembly #DMK #AIADMK #UdhayanidhiStalin #Politics #Chennai #TamilNaduPolitics #JosephVijay #BreakingNews #AssemblySession #EPS #PoliticalDrama