What is a no-confidence motion; PM Modi’s 2018 prophesy of no-confidence in 2023 goes viral
Chandigarh, July 26(press ki taquat)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday admitted a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government on the Manipur issue. The motion was moved by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi with the support of more than 50 opposition MPs.
Speaker Om Birla said the date and time for discussion would be fixed after consultation with all parties. Under the rules, the Speaker has to list the motion for debate and voting within 10 days of admission.
Opposition alliance INDIA moved the motion in order to make PM Modi speak in Parliament on the Manipur violence. Major opposition parties TMC, Left, NC, DMK, NCP and JDU are supporting the motion.
Expected fate of the motion
The decision to move the motion was taken by the opposition alliance on Tuesday. Opposition leaders felt it was an effective way to compel the government to initiate a discussion on the grim situation in Manipur inside the House and PM Modi to speak on it. The government has been insisting that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the debate on the Manipur situation.
While the opposition strategy is to corner the NDA on the sensitive issue ahead of the 2024 general election, given the sheer strength of the BJP, allies and friendly parties in the Lok Sabha it is almost a certainty that the no-confidence motion moved will fail the numbers test.
Opposition leaders, however, argue that they will win the battle of perception by cornering the government on the critical issue during the debate.
If a motion is passed, the government has to resign.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a swipe at PM Modi, saying that when he “lacks” the confidence to make a statement in Parliament, how can INDIA have confidence in him?
“No Confidence Motion. When PM lacks confidence to make statement in Parliament; keeps ‘maun’ on the crimes against women in Manipur till the Supreme Court comments; keeps ‘maun’ on Brij Bhushan; Says no territory is occupied by China. How can I.N.D.I.A have confidence in him?” he said.
What is a no-confidence motion
Under Lok Sabha procedures, a no-confidence motion to be adopted must have the backing of 50 members once the Speaker puts it up for a show of strength in the House. Once there is support, the motion is admitted for debate.
Basically, the Parliamentary process allows the opposition to challenge the government’s majority and ability to govern.
The no-confidence motion is then debated in the Lok Sabha. The motion is moved by the member who submitted it and the government responds. After the debate, the Lok Sabha votes on motion.
What happens if motion is passed
Since Independence, several no-confidence motions have been moved in the Lok Sabha. According to reports, late PM Indira Gandhi faced the maximum, as many as 15, followed by late Lal Bahadur Shastri and late PV Narasimha Rao (three each).
If the motion is passed, the government must resign.
If the motion is defeated, that is the government wins the vote, it remains in power.
BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee lost the motion by just one vote in April 1999.
No-confidence in PM Modi
Interestingly, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, PM Modi had faced a similar motion in 2018 which he won comfortably. Then the Telugu Desam Party, a former NDA ally, brought the motion accusing the government of non-allocation of adequate funds to Andhra Pradesh.
The government defeated the motion 325:126.
Today’s no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government saw PM Modi’s 2018 reply and prediction for 2023 going viral on social media. The clip posted by Union minister Jitendra Singh shows him telling opposition parties also to move a similar motion in 2023 as well while replying to the no-confidence motion.
“I want to send you my good wishes that you prepare so much that you get a chance to bring a no-confidence again in 2023,” PM Modi said in 2018.
Responding to Opposition parties’ decision, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also asked the opposition to remember their “failed attempt” in 2018.
“If they are doing so, they should know that last time they brought a no-confidence motion, the BJP came back to power with a stronger majority of over 300 seats and the same will happen again and we will get more than 350 seats,” Joshi was quoted as saying.