© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
On a day the Lok Sabha began the debate on the no-confidence motion, moved by the Congress and backed by other members of the opposition INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured MPs from his party that it is not a test of trust on his government, but on the confidence INDIA alliance partners have on each other.
Addressing BJP MPs at a Parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, Modi said the ruling party will “hit a sixer in the last ball”, apparently referring to his reply to the motion after the three-day debate.
Reiterating his description of the INDIA bloc as “Ghamandia Gathbandhan (alliance of arrogance)”, Modi is learnt to have said that BJP had shown the Opposition in 2018 what is coming for them in this debate, too.
In 2018, the House debated a no-trust motion against his then government.
Modi is learnt to have also told party MPs that the NDA won the “semi-final” in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, when the ruling alliance cleared the contentious NCT amendment Bill with a clear majority in the Upper House, where BJP does not enjoy a majority on its own.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to parties that supported BJP in passing the Bill.
Modi, sources said, noted that some Opposition members had called Monday’s voting in Rajya Sabha as a semi-final before next year’s Lok Sabha polls and exuded confidence about BJP’s prospects in the national elections scheduled next year.
The Rajya Sabha passed the NCT Bill with support of 131 MPs, while 101 MPs voted against it.
“The Prime Minister said it [no-confidence motion] may be a programme for the Ghamandia Gathbandhan to test the confidence among each other. But but for NDA, it is an opportunity,” a BJP MP said.
Modi had first used the term “Ghamandia Gathbandhan” to refer to the new Opposition alliance during his meeting last week with NDA MPs from Bihar — he said he got the term from a letter he received after the formation of the INDIA bloc.
The BJP has decided to use the term in its campaign against the Opposition.
In his address to party MPs, Modi is learnt to have said that Opposition leaders speak of social justice but these parties have harmed it the most with their “dynastic, appeasement-oriented and corrupt politics”. “He said BJP’s slogan remains ‘Quit India for corruption, appeasement and dynasty politics’,” the party MP said.
Sources in BJP said the party will run a campaign on these lines between August 9 and October 21.
In his address, Modi also said MPs will not have to push for Railways Ministry-related works during his third term after Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a presentation, indicating that ongoing development projects will take care of their demands.
The Prime Minister is expected to reply to the over 16 hours long debate in Lok Sabha on Thursday. Around 18 speakers are expected to take part in the debate. The BJP-led NDA has the support of 329 MPs — besides 301 BJP MPs, 22 members of YSRCP and 12 BJD MPs will also vote against the no-confidence motion moved by the Congress and backed by INDIA bloc members.
