Rubbishing the State Chief Minister Harish Rawat's allegation that Prime Minster Narendra Modi is intent on destabilizing the non-BJP State Governments by taking recourse to undemocratic means, State BJP chief spokesperson Munna Singh Chouhan said on Monday that the allegation was baseless and politically motivated.
"In sync with the democratic norms, BJP MlAs have given notice to the Secretary to the Vidhan Sabha on a no-confidence motion against Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal," he said, adding that both Harish Rawat and the Speaker were to blame for what had been happening.
"The Speaker was throttling the voice of the dissidents within the ruling Congress and it has precipitated the crisis. It all happened as the CM is neck-deep in corruption. His inflated ego is responsible too. He considers others in the party as fools. A crafty kind of politician, he plays the emotional card. He is under the illusion that he can take the common people for a ride by unleashing emotional blackmail," he said.
Chouhan alleged the CM was acting as a king in utter disregard of the Constitutional norms and let him and his party down. "His gigantic ego is manifest in what he said that irrespective of everything, Harish Rawat is infallible (Na Khata Na Bahi jo Harish Rawat bole wahi sahi)" the State BJP leader said.
He threw a dare to the CM to prove that the BJP was responsible for the crisis in the Congress legislature Party. "Now going hammer and tongs against Modi would not exonerate him of the ills of his dictatorial style of functioning that had triggered the ongoing crisis," he said.
Dwelling on the BJP's role in the crisis, he said his party being a national party could hardly take its eyes off it.
"As the Opposition party, BJP is accountable to ensure that the House is run as per the Constitution. It is well within its rights to raise voice against corruption, gnawing at the House from within and without. We are justified in demanding division of vote on the appropriation Bill. The Speaker spawned the crisis by rejecting our demand. We have submitted notice of no-confidence motion against the Speaker and the sooner he is shown the way the better for the State and democracy," Chouhan said.
Referring to the whip issued to the members regarding voting inside the House, the BJP leader said that it could hardly be used to bulldoze dissent.
Speaking of the importance of the passage of the appropriation Bill in the House, he said neither Parliament nor the Assembly could spend money without seeking approval of their respective members. "The President and the Governor can spend money through contingency fund, but they will have to have things approved by the House later. The norm was done away with as the Speaker announced the passage of the budget without seeking the majority approval," he alleged.
Talking about the BJP march to Rajbhawan, Chouhan said that the Governor has the authority to dismiss a Government as the constitutional head of the State. "We are thus right constitutionally to approach him," he added.