BJP dubs no-confidence motion as 'rehearsal before 2019 elections'

The TDP earlier today formally decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

With several opposition parties, including TDP, YSR Congress, CPI (M) and AIMIM, joining hands to move a no-confidence motion against the Modi government, the BJP on Friday dubbed it as a 'rehearsal before the actual elections'. However, the BJP has a full majority in the Parliament and this motion is not likely to pose any threat.

The Congress today said that it would support the no-confidence motion to be moved by the TDP and the YSR Congress against Union Government at the Centre. Soon after, CPI (M) and AIMIM also said that they would join the no-confidence motion. TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the opposition parties to stay united in opposing the NDA.

"Will see what happens in Parliament, which party chooses to go which way. In a way, it is the election year and every state has demands and issues, it is not right for us to comment on it. It is a custom, before actual elections there is always a rehearsal in Parliament," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told news agency ANI.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party will support the no-confidence motion.

"CPI(M) supports no-confidence motion being brought against BJP govt. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcusable. Its all-round failure & evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted," Yechury tweeted.

Mamata Banerjee welcomed the TDP's move and urged the opposition parties to stay united.

"I welcome the TDP's decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster. I appeal to all political parties in the Opposition to work closely together against atrocities, economic calamity and political instability," she said.

"We have been supporting Special Category Status for AP since the beginning. We want that people of AP to get justice. When no-confidence motion is moved you have to talk about government's failures, we contacting a lot of people," Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Malikarjun Kharge said.

The TDP earlier today formally decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP unanimously took the decision during a tele-conference with party supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu this morning. The TDP had earlier pulled its ministers out of the union cabinet. After deciding to pull out, the TDP would now support the no-confidence motion by the YSR Congress against the Narendra Modi government.

OneIndia News