Opposition parties back no-confidence motion, extend support to TDP, YSR

In a move which has sparked row in Parliament, an overwhelming majority of Opposition parties have extended support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress, thus backing their no-confidence motion against the Modi government over the non-implementation of the Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.

Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strongest competition, Indian National Congress (INC) has also extended its support to the TDP and YSR parties and backed their decision of no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led government.

By extending their support to the no-confidence motion, the Opposition parties have ensured that the TDP and YSR Congress are not left short of the required support of a minimum of 50 MPs to get their motion admitted.

The TDP has just 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while the YSR Congress has nine.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, said, “We have been supporting special category status for AP since the beginning. We want the people of AP to get justice. When no-confidence motion is moved you have to talk (in the House debate) about the government’s failures. So, we are contacting a lot of people (to mobilise support for the motion).”

CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, in support of the no-confidence motion, tweeted, “CPM supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government.”

CPI(M) supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcuseable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16, 2018

Also Read: TDP moves no-confidence motion against Modi government

Tariq Anwar, leader of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said, “The NCP is fully backing the move. The government, if it is confident of answering our questions and taking a vote, must admit the motion.”

Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal also backed the southern parties and extended its support to the no-confidence motion.

Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress tweeted, “I welcome the TDP’s decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster.”

I welcome the TDP's decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 16, 2018

The no-confidence motion notices were moved by TDP’s Thota Narasimham and YSR Congress’ YV Subba Reddy. However, the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan refused to take up the motion due to unrest in the House, which led to the adjournment of the proceedings for the day and raised loud protests over various issues.