Opposition moves no-trust motion against govt

Tribune News Service

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, August 10

The Congress and the CPM moved a no-confidence motion against the state government in the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the monsoon session here today. Speaker Vipin Parmar accepted the motion after the Opposition created a ruckus.

Parmar fixed four hours for debate on the no-confidence motion tomorrow after suspending all other listed business. The Opposition insisted on more time saying “every member has the right to participate in the debate”. However, the Speaker didn’t yield to their demand and said that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur would speak in the Assembly at 3 pm after the debate.

Debate today

• The Speaker gives four hours for debate on Thursday
• Opposition MLAs seek more time, create a ruckus
• Congress MLAs raise slogans holding handbills about price rise and unemployment
• Jai Ram Thakur and Mukesh Agnihotri indulge in verbal duel
• The Congress has 22 MLAs in the House. It also has the support of lone CPM legislator
• The BJP has 43 MLAs, besides two Independents

As soon as the House finished offering tributes to the late members, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader Mukesh Agnihotri urged the Speaker to allow a debate on the notice given by all 22 Congress MLAs and lone CPM legislator Rakesh Singha under Rule 278 for the no-trust motion. The Speaker assured the Opposition that he would give his ruling on the notice after examining it thoroughly but the Congress MLAs resorted to sloganeering while holding handbills about price rise and unemployment. There was counter sloganeering from treasury benches as the Speaker tried to pacify the Opposition MLAs.

Agnihotri said that the government had lost the right to continue in office, as there was a complete breakdown of the official machinery. The Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes till 3.45 pm. As the House reassembled, the Opposition remained adamant on holding a head count to ensure that the motion was backed by at least one third of the total strength of 68 of the Assembly. Finally, the Speaker undertook a head count even as the Opposition members were firm on their demand for a debate.

Heated exchanges took place between the Chief Minister and the CLP Leader. Thakur said, “I have no objection to the debate. We have the majority in the House. Our President’s candidate got 45 votes while the Opposition’s candidate got 22 votes.” He mocked the Congress to find out which one MLA had deliberately got his vote rejected, as the Opposition’s candidate for the post of President should have got 23 votes.

The Chief Minister, while talking to mediapersons later, said that there was no justification for the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition. “They have brought the no-trust motion only to make headlines. We have the full majority in the House and our government will complete its term. The BJP will again form government in the state,” he added.

He said, “I asked some Congress MLAs why they are wearing black bands but they had no answer.”

The Congress has 22 MLAs in the House. It also has the support of lone CPM legislator Rakesh Singha. The BJP has 43 MLAs, besides two Independents who had joined the party recently. However, technically they still are Independent MLAs in the Assembly.

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