Published Jul 26, 2023 | 3:21 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 26, 2023 | 3:21 AM
The new Parliament building. (Creative Commons)
With their protests demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Manipur not yielding the desired results, Opposition parties are contemplating moving a no-confidence motion against the Union government.
The united Opposition front parties of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are contemplating submitting notices to the Speaker on Wednesday, 27 July, expressing their intent to move the no-confidence motion.
The MPs of the Opposition parties are said to be preparing to submit notices to the Speaker on Wednesday for consideration.
Several parties of the alliance reportedly suggested that notices for a no-confidence route was the only way to compel the prime minister to make a statement in the House, which has reached an impasse over violence-hit Manipur.
The no-confidence motion was being considered even though the Opposition parties do not have the numbers to put the Narendra Modi government in a spot.
With its current strength in the Lok Sabha, the NDA can easily defeat the motion.
The BJP alone has over 300 seats and — with alliance partners — the NDA can ensure 335 votes to defeat the no-confidence motion if the Speaker were to allow it in the Lok Sabha.
Opposition party MPs told South First that efforts were underway to file notices, but a final decision would be taken on Wednesday morning.
In a meeting held with AICC president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday afternoon, some opposition parties that are a part of the INDIA coalition mooted moving a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha, PTI quoted sources as saying.
A proposal to submit the notice was discussed at a meeting of the constituents of the INDIA coalition on Tuesday morning.
The sources said that after weighing various options to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak in Parliament on the situation in strife-torn Manipur, it was decided that this would be an effective way to compel the government to initiate a discussion on the issue.
The Opposition strategy to corner the government on Manipur would continue in the Rajya Sabha as well, the sources said
The decision of the Opposition front to resort to the no-confidence motion comes on the day Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Parliament that he had written letters to the Leader of the Opposition of both Houses that the government was ready for discussion on Manipur, but that he — as the home minister — would lead it.
The Opposition is insistent that Modi speaks on violence-marred Manipur.
