Benefit or political harakiri: What Opposition will gain from the no-confidence motion

New Delhi, July 19: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Congress have moved no-confidence motion against the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament which will be debated in the Lok Sabha on Friday. What does it mean when both the TDP and the Congress know it very well that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has the brute majority? UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi too claimed that the government will be toppled. It the Opposition going to gain out of it or it will proved to be a political harakiri.

This appears to be a time to test waters. Opposition is trying to make a front against the Prime Minister before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but so far no concrete planning was to the fare. This is an attempt to unseat Modi if not right away then after 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Opposition will let loose all its horses but if they will succeed or it will boomerang on them is yet to seen. But somehow the Congress seemed confident about emerging victorious in these deliberations in Parliament when UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi claimed while answering a question of a journalist, "Who says we don't have the numbers?"

There are at present 535 members in the Lok Sabha. The ruling NDA has 312 members in the Lok Sabha, 273 of the BJP, 18 of Shiv Sena, six LJP and four SAD. The stated strength of the Opposition is 222, including 63 of the Congress-led UPA, 37 of AIADMK, 34 of TMC, 20 BJD, 16 TDP and 11 TRS. The BJP has already issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha members. However, there is uncertainty about AIADMK and BJD if they would vote for or against the no-confidence or chose to abstain.

The Opposition wants to utilise this opportunity to raise issues like unemployment, farmer's issue, corruption, communal tension and price rise. The opposition will also try to fathom its strength against the government. But the BJP-led NDA seems to utilise the opportunity in its favour by asking thte Andhra Pradesh government for not providing completion certificate to projects undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh government that the BJP leaders have been saying to be the reason for TDP parting ways with the NDA and bogy of non-cooperation of the Centre. The Congress being party of Muslim men might figure during the debate addressing the audience of the BJP well before the three state and Lok Sabha elections. Such debate are mainly political statements alabit corroborated with facts. The BJP also take up the matter of Congress' silence on tripple talaq and nikah halala.

Since the PM is the last speaker in such debates, the BJP will utilise the opportunity with the hope that the PM tears apart their claims of being partial or going against commitment made to TDP. The Congress claims on many issues including the Jammu and Kashmir issue may also figure in PM's response in his signature satirical way.

However, political observers feel that the move brought in by the TDP will benefit more the NDA than the united opposition as it is like Opposition allowing the NDA to do what it was longing for. The BJP under the leadership of PM Modi will not only respond the Opposition but it will send a message to its people through the PM's speech across the country defeating the entire purpose of the no-confidence rather it will put political parties in a fix. Prime Minister Narendra Modi already said that the government was ready to discuss all important issues on the floor of Parliament and vote on them in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the media, "We hope Parliament functions smoothly, whatever issues any party has, it can raise on the floor of the house. The government is ready for discussion on all issue." So the objective of move that was initiated by the opposition is achieved or the tide is once again turned in his favour by the PM is to be seen. But by common perception opposition created a political harakiri.