Majority Test For CM Vijay, Survival Test for AIADMK? EPS Camp Unity Faces Real Trial As TVK Goes For Crucial Confidence Vote

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay is set to face a floor test in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, to prove his majority.

Several TVK and AIADMK MLAs arrived at the Assembly premises in Tamil Nadu Secretariat ahead of the floor test.

TVK chief Vijay proved the numbers to the Governor, after the party, which won 108 seats in the elections, gained support from Congress (five seats), along with the CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML, which contribute two seats each. The coalition's strength currently stands at 121 seats, which helped Vijay take the oath as the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, in a twist in the tale, there is speculation of a split in the AIADMK with the emergence of two factions--one led by CV Shanmugam and another aligned with former Chief Minister and party General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Shanumagan had alleged that the majority of party members had rejected a proposal to form a government with the support of the DMK.

Amid the speculations, Vijay also visited the office of former Tamil Nadu minister CV Shanmugam on Tuesday, signalling a potential shift in the state's legislative alliances.

An AIADMK MLA told ANI today, “All decisions will be taken by Edappadi K Palaniswami. About 25 MLAs will come here. The majority is on our side. All the people will be at our party only. All will be convinced. There is no need to worry. We have a good experience with Edappadi. We will wait and see. All will be right.”

AIADMK has also issued a whip ahead of the floor test, and party Rajya Sabha MP IS Inbadurai on Tuesday asserted that any MLA acting against the official whip would face disqualification under the anti-defection law.

Sharing a post on X, Inbadurai said the party leadership under AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Legislative Party Edappadi K Palaniswami has appointed the official whip and that any deviation from its directive would attract provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran also expelled party MLA S Kamaraj from the primary membership of the party and removed him from all party responsibilities after he extended support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Although it is a test of numbers for Vijay in the Assembly, today is equally a test for the AIADMK, which is part of the NDA camp in Tamil Nadu. In the State Assembly elections, the AIADMK had managed 47 seats. 

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