The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress on Monday failed to table their no-confidence motions yet again as the House didn’t function due to disruptions by the AIADMK prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House till Tuesday. The Opposition blamed the AIADMK for acting at the behest of the Centre even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Government is ready for a discussion on any issue.
The BJP’s disgruntled ally Shiv Sena, in the meantime, said it will abstain from the no-confidence motion. “We will neither support the Government nor the Opposition. We will abstain,” Sena MP Arvind Sawant said. Sena’s abstentation would further make it easier for the BJP to tide over the crisis.
It was the 11th consecutive day that the proceedings were a complete washout.
Eyebrows were, however, raised as to why some members of the TDP, the mover of the no-confidence motion, was also seen agitating in the House.
The TDP, YSR Congress, the TRS and the AIADMK continued their noisy protests over various issues, including the banking scam, setting up of the Cauvery river management board and special status for Andhra Pradesh. The TRS and the AIADMK are not backing the no-confidence motion of YSR Congress and the TDP.
“The Opposition is ready for discussion on the no-confidence motion but it seems the AIADMK is acting at the behest of the Central Government and not letting the House function,” said Ramgopal Yadav, Samajwadi Party MP.
The expelled AIADMK spokesperson K C Palanisamy had recently alleged that Tamil Nadu’s ruling party has become a ‘puppet’ of the saffron party. Palanisamy was stripped of his primary membership of the AIADMK after he wanted the party to support the TDP and YSR Congress’ no-confidence motion against the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.
Amid the familiar scenes of Opposition members trooping in the well of the House and shouting slogans, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Government was ready for discussion on any issue, including on the no-confidence motion. The House was adjourned at about 12.15 hours.
For its part, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day within about ten minutes after it had assembled in the morning.