TDP MP’s call to skip monsoon session exposes chinks in Opposition unity on no-confidence motion?

News agency ANI quoted JC Diwakar Reddy, TDP MP, as saying that he was not going to attend the ongoing monsoon session.

New Delhi, July 19: The Friday's no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is likely to see a lot of drama inside the Lok Sabha--the Upper House of Parliament.

Just a day before the no-confidence motion, an MP from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)--the political party which has been trying to move the no-confidence motion against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since the previous budget session and has been finally accepted on the first day of monsoon session of Parliament on Wednesday--on Thursday decided to skip the proceedings in the Lok Sabha.

News agency ANI quoted JC Diwakar Reddy, TDP MP, as saying that he was not going to attend the ongoing monsoon session. Reason: Diwakar stated that he was fed up with both the Centre and the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh. Diwakar admitted that he was going to violate the whip issued by his party.

The TDP has been supported by 50 lawmakers from various opposition parties--including those from the Congress--to push for the no-confidence motion against the BJP government.

The ruling Andhra Pradesh party moved the no-confidence motion against the Centre as it did not fulfil its demand of granting special status to the southern state.

Earlier, this year the TDP left the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the issue. Although the numbers are in favour of the ruling alliance government, the Opposition is feeling "triumphant" that the no-confidence motion has been accepted which will help the anti-BJP forces to highlight the failures of the ruling regime.

It has after 15 years that a ruling party at the Centre is going to face a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha.

Former Congress president and chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi expressed confidence of winning the no-confidence motion.

When questioned about the numbers in the House, she said "Who says we don't have the numbers".