No-trust motion: Oppn to decide by Nov23, Mamata to support Left

Mangalore Today/ ITV

New Delhi/Kolkata/Chennai, Nov 20: Hectic political activity is on for the no-confidence motion to be brought against the UPA government in Parliament’s winter session beginning this week. NDA convenor and Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav told mediapersons today that the final picture would be available on Nov 22 or 23.

"All those parties who joined the Bharat Bandh against FDI in retail and fuel price hike must come together", said Sharad Yadav.

BJP leaders were in a huddle this morning to decide about the no-confidence motion to be moved by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool.

 

It was Banerjee who rang up Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj seeking her party’s support for the no-trust motion as the Trinamool Congress does not have enough members to move the motion.

The NDA is going to meet this evening to chalk out its strategy on the no-trust move.


In Chennai, AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa said, her party would support any motion against the UPA govt on the FDI issue. "Our government here has decided not to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. There is no change in our stand", she said.
Jayalalithaa said, so far no body has approached her party on the no-trust motion issue. "If such a request comes, we will definitely support it."

The Tamil Nadu chief minister said, her party was prepared to face general elections any time.

In Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee threw a googly at the Left saying her party was ready to support any motion brought against the UPA government, even by the CPI-M.

"They (CPI-M) may have an ego issue over our motion, we don’t have an ego issue. But there is one condition: they must not withdraw their motion after striking out a secret deal with the Congress", said Banerjee.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said, she spoke to CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta yesterday welcoming his party’s stand of supporting the TMC’s no-trust motion.

"It’s the CPI-M and Congress which plays petty politics. They can hold joint rallies with the BJP and even join hands to vote against the Lokpal bill in parliament. We don’t consider any party as untouchable. BJP has its ideology, our party has its own ideology.", said Banerjee.

In Delhi, however, CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury said, it was not a question of confidence or no-confidence motion.

"The issue is to find ways to rollback the FDI  not only in multi-brand retail, but also in insurance and pension funds."

Yechury said: "By bringing a no-confidence motion and by not getting enough numbers to get it through, you are giving a lifeline to the government for another six months.

In fact, if the motion is defeated, it can be used as an endorsement of the UPA government’s policies, Yechury pointed out.

A minimum of 54 Lok Sabha members are required to table a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha.  The BJP and the Left leaders are in favour of bringing a censure motion on FDI issue under rule 184 in the Lok Sabha, which entails voting.

If current figures are taken, though the present UPA government is in a minority, it can easily take the support of SP and BSP members to torpedo any no-trust move with the help of nearly 300 MPs.