Lok Sabha showdown likely today on no-trust move

New Delhi: Parliament is bracing for a showdown on Monday as the YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, backed by the Opposition, will move the first no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government. Y.V. Subba Reddy of the YSR Congress has written to the Lok Sabha secretariat to put his notice for the motion in the revised list. The TDP has also moved a notice for a no-confidence motion.

A majority of the Opposition parties have taken the view that they will back both the no-confidence motions filed by the YSR Congress Party and the TDP as both are on the same issue. Several parties, including the Congress, Trinamul Congress, AIMIM, Biju Janata Dal and the Left Front, have decided to support the no-trust motion. A no-confidence motion notice has to be supported by at least 50 MPs to be taken up in the House. However, the decision to take up the no-confidence motion will lie entirely with the Speaker. On Friday the motion could not be taken up as the Speaker, Ms Sumitra Mahajan, had said there was no order in the House and had adjourned it for the day. With the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and AIADMK protesting over a host of issues, it remains uncertain if order will be restored on Monday.

In case the no-confidence motions are moved, the BJP is placed comfortably with 274 members in the House and is unlikely to be defeated. However, a detailed debate on the motion will allow the Andhra Pradesh parties to raise the issues relating to their state at some length, that could pose some embarrassing moments for the ruling alliance.

The day is likely to see widespread pandeponium after YSR Congress leader Y.V. Subba Reddy on Friday gave a letter to Lok Sabha secretary-general Snehlata Shrivastava seeking to move a no-trust motion against the government on March 19. The YSR Congress said it was forced to move the no-confidence motion, alleging that the Centre had gone back on its word about granting Andhra Pradesh special category status. On March 15, he had submitted a letter seeking to move a no-confidence motion the next day. Later, the date was revised to March 19.

In what is being termed as a move aimed at the state’s competitive politics, the Telugu Desam Party decided to cut its ties with NDA. After the YSR Congress’ move, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced that his party would leave the ruling NDA and in a letter to BJP president Amit Shah said it was pointless for his party to continue in the alliance as the government failed to discharge its constitutional duties in implementing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. The TDP had earlier withdrawn its ministers from the Narendra Modi government.