Chennai: A vote of confidence on the government led by Tamil Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay was held today, as per the order of the Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. TVK won the vote with the support of 144 MLAs. This proceeding was live streamed for the first time in the history of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.Although TVK had already secured the numbers needed to form the government even before the swearing-in, the confidence vote turned into a defining moment for AIADMK’s future. Citing allegations that AIADMK’s general secretary Edappadi Palaniswamy attempted to become chief minister with DMK support despite neither party having a majority, senior AIADMK leaders C. V. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani – leading 25 MLAs – had announced a day ago that they had elected S.P. Velumani as their legislative party leader and would vote in favour of the TVK government in the confidence vote. On the other side, a group of 22 MLAs submitted a petition to the Speaker stating that Edappadi Palaniswamy is the legislative party leader.Floor mathematicsTVK, which had won 108 constituencies in the election, had already secured the support needed to form the government from Congress (five MLAs), and CPI, CPIM, VCK, and IUML (two MLAs each) even before taking office.TVK’s leader, who won two constituencies, retained the Perambur seat and resigned from the Trichy East seat. The Madras high court on Tuesday ordered that the TVK MLA for Tirupattur – where TVK candidate Seenivasa Sethupathi R. had defeated the DMK’s K.R. Periyakaruppan by a single vote – could not participate in the confidence vote, as a legal challenge against the result was pending. Although the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the high court’s order calling it “atrocious”, Sethupathi could not participate in the vote.Since TVK MLA Prabhakar J.C.D. from Thousand Lights constituency was elected as Speaker, the number of TVK MLAs on the floor stood at 105. Combined with the allied parties that had pledged unconditional outside support before the government was formed, and the 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs, the government led by Joseph Vijay won the confidence vote with 144 MLAs. While DMK MLAs walked out, five members from the NDA alliance – four from PMK and one from BJP – abstained from voting.AIADMK general secretary Palaniswamy, who spoke against the confidence vote resolution, said that all 47 AIADMK MLAs would oppose it. As soon as he sat down, the Speaker invited Velumani — elected as AIADMK legislative party leader by the rebel MLAs — to speak. Despite strong objections from MLAs aligned with Palaniswamy, the Speaker called upon Velumani, who then announced that the AIADMK MLAs would support the confidence vote.DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin, speaking as Leader of the Opposition, criticised TVK for allegedly poaching a lone AMMK MLA through horse-trading, and for Chief Minister Vijay meeting rebel MLAs without meeting the AIADMK general secretary. Demanding that schemes introduced by the previous government should not be scrapped, Udhayanidhi Stalin walked out along with DMK MLA’s without participating in the confidence vote.What happens to AIADMK MLAs?The question now arising is whether the rebel AIADMK MLAs who voted in support of the TVK government – against the whip issued by AIADMK general secretary-appointed Chief Whip Agri Krishnamurthy – will face disqualification.Speaking to The Wire, AIADMK Rajya Sabha member and advocate Inbadurai I.S. said that in a confidence vote, voting against the official party whip, abstaining, or remaining neutral would all be treated as defection. He added: “Just because some members act as a separate faction or claim to have majority support, they cannot appoint their own whip — that would be legally invalid. The Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court, in the Shiv Sena case in Maharashtra, clearly held: ‘Only the official leadership of a political party can appoint the legislative whip; MLAs cannot gather on their own and appoint a whip.’ Furthermore, the Supreme Court ruled that ‘legislative party’ and ‘political party’ are distinct, and the 10th Schedule of the Constitution recognises the ‘political party’ alone.”Before the confidence vote, AIADMK Chief Whip Krishnamurthy, while speaking to the press, had said legal action could be taken against AIADMK MLAs who voted in favour of TVK. Advocate Richardson Wilson said: “Even if a complaint is filed against the rebel MLAs under anti-defection laws, it is the Speaker who must act on it. As per the Supreme Court’s directive, the Speaker may take up to three months to act. Since the Speaker has been appointed from TVK, it is hard to say how quickly he will act. In other states, Speakers have typically acted only after court orders in such cases.”An astrologer Another name that drew attention during the confidence vote debate was Ricky Rathan Pandit Vettrivel — a trusted astrologer of Vijay and a TVK spokesperson, who had also reportedly served as an astrologer to late former chief minister Jayalalithaa. On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu government’s Public Department issued an order appointing Ricky Rathan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister (Political). This appointment drew sharp criticism from parties that had extended outside support to TVK.Commenting on this, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P. Shanmugam said: “It is the government’s duty to promote a scientific temper. The person now appointed as Secretary (Political) to the Chief Minister is fundamentally an astrologer. Appointing such an individual as a government officer at public expense will only deepen belief in astrology among people. This appointment is unacceptable, and the idea that he will offer political advice is equally unacceptable.”VCK’s deputy general secretary and Tindivanam MLA Vanni Arasu, who spoke in support of the confidence vote resolution, referenced the murders of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, and Gauri Lankesh — all killed for speaking against superstitions — and demanded that the Tamil Nadu government enact a law against superstitious practices.On Rathan Pandit’s appointment, he said: “The government should not give room to superstitions like astrology and black magic, and must prioritize programs that promote science.” The same point was echoed in opposition to the resolution by DMDK general secretary Premallatha Vijayakant, Manithaneya Jananayaka Katchi general secretary Thamimun Ansari. M, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president M.H. Jawahirullah.Vijay’s response and a follow throughIn his reply speech, Vijay thanked all those who extended support. He said: “Within three years of starting the party, we have secured 34.92% of the votes. This is a government that will genuinely protect minorities. This government will function with social justice, equal justice, equal opportunity, and secular principles.” He further added “Schemes brought in by previous governments will continue. This government will move at the speed of a horse — it is not a government that engages in horse-trading.”In his speech the chief minister had stated that he would rethink certain issues raised by the opposition. In what appeared to be a swift follow-through, a government order revoking the appointment of Ricky Rathan Pandit was issued within an hour of the conclusion of the assembly proceedings.DMK, as opposition has begun mounting sharp criticism against the government. Despite stumbling over the Rathan Pandit appointment, the government’s decision to close 717 TASMAC liquor shops near schools, places of worship, and bus stands has been welcomed by the public. AIADMK – which has faced splits after every electoral defeat since the demise of Jayalalithaa – is now bracing for yet another prolonged legal battle.