Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 13 : The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar on Wednesday said the people of Tamil Nadu had expressed faith in party chief and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay after the newly formed government won the floor test in the State Assembly with 144 MLAs voting in favour.
Speaking after the confidence motion was passed, Nirmal Kumar said the TVK government would work for the people and fulfil the promises made during the Assembly elections.
"The people of Tamil Nadu have shown their trust in our leader, and they have voted for our leader. In the floor voting, we have shown our majority for the government. 144 MLAs have voted. This will be a people's government. Our leaders will fulfil all the promises we have made during the election. People wanted a change in this election, and they voted for the change," he told reporters.
Newly elected Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay successfully cleared the floor test in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly earlier in the day. While 144 MLAs voted in favour of the government, 22 voted against the motion and five abstained. The DMK staged a walkout during the proceedings, reducing the effective strength of the House during voting.
The voting numbers indicated support from a section of AIADMK legislators despite party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami directing all 47 MLAs of the party to vote against the confidence motion.
The TVK government secured support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Expelled Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) MLA Kamaraj also extended support to the government.
The TVK currently holds 107 Assembly seats after Vijay resigned from the Trichy East constituency and retained Perambur. However, the party effectively had 106 MLAs participating after the Madras High Court restrained TVK MLA Srinivasa Sethupathi from voting in the confidence motion.
During the Assembly proceedings, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised the ruling party and announced a walkout by DMK legislators.
"We are walking out of the Assembly. Once we walk out, you will get the majority. Govern well with it. I request you not to politicise the welfare schemes introduced by our government," Stalin said in the House.
The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, marking a major political shift in the state beyond the traditional DMK-AIADMK political contest.
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