No-confidence motion plan against govt today

New Delhi: Some parties of the opposition INDIA alliance are likely to move a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha in an attempt to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak in Parliament on the Manipur violence, sources said on Tuesday.

A proposal to submit the notice was discussed at a meeting of the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Tuesday morning. It was decided after weighing various options that this would be an effective way to compel the government to initiate a discussion on the issue, the sources said.

The Opposition strategy to corner the government on Manipur will continue in the Rajya Sabha as well, the sources said. "I am not aware of their move but if they are doing so they should know that last time they brought a no-confidence motion, BJP came back to power with a stronger majority of over 300 seats and the same will happen again and we will get more than 350 seats," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said in response. A minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion and the speaker will accordingly announce the date for discussion for the motion. The AAP on Tuesday reiterated its demand for a division of votes on the motion which suspended its senior lawmaker Sanjay Singh from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the monsoon session a day earlier. Singh was suspended by chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday for approaching the chair without permission during opposition INDIA’s protest over the Manipur riots. “I seek a division of votes to address the matter of his (Singh’s) suspension transparently. The numbers at the time of seeking division were strongly stacked against the treasury benches, but unfortunately the demand for division of votes declined.”