Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay wins trust vote, DMK abstains, AIADMK split

The floor test proceedings to prove the strength of the C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government were underway in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday with the Congress and Left parties extending support to the government while the opposition DMK staged a walkout and abstained from voting. BJP with its lone MLA, stayed 'neutral.' Earlier, Chief Minister Vijay moved a resolution seeking the confidence vote. Floor leaders of the respective parties were allowed to speak first. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami opposed the Vijay-led government in the proceedings.

The party's rebel leader S P Velumani declared support to TVK government, even as the Palaniswami faction opposed him. The main opposition party, DMK, staged a walkout and abstained from taking part in the voting. Congress, CPI , CPI (M), VCK, IUML and AMMK extended support to the government while the BJP said its stand was "neutral." Anbumani Ramadoss-led PMK, which has four MLAs, said it was "abstaining." The vote of confidence was being held in the House in lines with Governor RV Arlekar's directions to hold it on or before May 13. The ruling TVK has an overall strength of 107, including the Speaker who may not vote. The party's Tirupattur MLA, R Seenivasa Sethupathy won't be able to cast his vote following a High Court ruling in a case filed by his rival DMK candidate, who lost to the TVK legislator by one vote in the April 23 polls. The ruling party has the support of five Congress MLAs. Besides, CPI, CPI (M), VCK and IUML-- with two MLAs each, have already announced their outside support to the maiden TVK government. Further, a section of AIADMK MLAs, about 30 of them who are led by senior leaders SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam and opposed to party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, have announced support to the government. Those AIADMK MLAs owing allegiance to Palaniswami have said that they will vote against the government and warned that anti-defection would apply to party MLAs going against the diktat.