Vijay wins Tamil Nadu floor test; Kerala CM suspense continues; and more

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Wednesday won the crucial floor test in the state assembly with the support of 144 MLAs. The trust vote revealed a significant split within the AIADMK, as 25 rebel legislators led by SP Velumani defied Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s party whip to back the actor-turned-politician. Rebel MLA C.V. Shanmugham claimed the DMK and AIADMK previously discussed proposing VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan for the top post. Amidst allegations of horse-trading, the AIADMK leadership has removed several rebels from party positions. In Kerala, the Congress high command, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, is deliberating in New Delhi to select a Chief Minister between KC Venugopal and VD Satheesan. Internationally, US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their discussions are set to focus on trade tariffs, artificial intelligence, and the West Asia conflict. Vijay continues to consolidate power while maintaining public engagement through his established selfie culture.