NAGPUR, DEC 16: The Opposition today submitted a notice for no-trust motion against the State Government for its failure in all sectors ever since it took over the reins of the state. The notice has been signed by 34 legislators, including former chief Minister Narayan Rane and former Dy chief minister Gopinath Munde.The one-line notice, issued under Rule 95, states that the State Assembly has lost confidence in the Council of Ministers. Assembly Speaker Arun Gujrathi has confirmed receiving the notice and said it would be decided in the Business Advisory Committee as to when to take up the notice.The DF Government, which came to power on October 18, faced its first trial of strength on the floor of the House during election of the Speaker of the assembly on October 22.Gujrathi (NCP) polled 154 votes as against the 132 in favour of Girish Bapat of the BJP and the Deshmukh ministry won the vote of confidence with a voice vote on October 23.The no-confidence motion could come up before the House atthe earliest after three days and not more than seven days of issuing of the notice. Meanwhile, the issue of suspension of seven Sena MLAs continued to rock the House which witnessed uproarious scenes and intense sloganeering when the seven members entered the House along with Leader of Opposition Narayan Rane. For a brief while, the House witnessed tense moments, when Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal took strong objection to their presence even as the legislators refused to leave the House despite directives of the Speaker.Taking strong objection to the suspension order, Rane pointed out that it was in blatant violation of the traditions of the House. ``The proposal moved was incorrect since the provisions of the relevant rules were not mentioned. I also feel that the action was hasty,'' he added.Launching a frontal attack on the DF government, Rane alleged that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh as well as Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal did not respond to the request made by Speaker to participate inthe meeting convened by him. ``At the meeting convened by Gujarathi to resolve the dispute, we waited for two hours on Wednesday and another one and half hour today, but both Deshmukh and Bhujbal did not attend. I feel this amounts to contempt,'' he stated.Endorsing the views expressed by Rane, former Deputy CM Gopinath Munde alleged that the seven Sena legislators were suspended to facilitate the election of the treasury bench member as the Deputy Speaker of the Lower House. ``They are afraid of contesting the Deputy Speaker's election and therefore they ensured suspension of the seven members of the opposition,'' he alleged.Denying the charges, Gujarathi said the resolution moved by the ruling party was in accordance of the rules and conventions. ``Even as per past records, there are instances, when the members of the House were admonished or suspended without seeking their explanation. I have collected the necessary record for the purpose,'' he pointed out.The Speaker even cited the suspensionorders given by his predecessor Dattaji Nalawade during the Sena-BJP rule.
