By IANS,
New Delhi/Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s move to bring a no-confidence motion on the first day of winter session has not drawn a firm response from the BJP or Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPI-M said that the issue was yet to be discussed by them.
The Communist Party of India (CPI), however, said it would back the motion if the Trinamool Congress manages the requisite numbers for it to be admitted in the Lok Sabha. The Congress said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had comfortable majority and the motion would be defeated.
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said Sunday in Kolkata that the Trinamool Congress did not have enough numbers to bring a no-confidence motion to oust the Congress-led central government and that the party was yet to decide whether to support the move. He said Banerjee had spoken to BJP leader Sushma Swaraj to seek the party’s support for the move.
“What is the use of bringing the motion if it gets defeated. The Trinamool doesn’t have the numbers. Their leadership will have to decide how far they can go. All parties need to carefully chalk out the plan,” Joshi said here.
“Numbers are important. If the motion gets defeated, then the government will relax for the next six months as you cannot bring another no-confidence motion during that period. We need to plan well,” Joshi added.
Banerjee Saturday announced that her party would move a no-confidence motion on the first day of the winter session of parliament Nov 22 and appealed to all parties, including the BJP and the Left, to support the move.
Joshi said the party leaders would discuss the issue and also talk to its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia told IANS: “We have not decided yet. It has not been discussed in the party.”
Acharia, who is the CPI-M leader in the Lok Sabha, said the outcome of a no-confidence motion was likely to depend on the stance of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who are supporting the UPA government from outside.
“(We) do not know if SP, BSP will do it (vote against government),” he said.
Acharia said voting on the government’s decision to bring foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail was a must to prevent its implementation.
He added that the CPI-M expected the Trinamool Congress to vote against the government on FDI in retail as it was stoutly opposed to the decision.
CPI-M leader Biman Bose had Saturday ridiculed Banerjee’s move.
“How many MPs do they have? Let them get the required number first to bring a no-confidence motion against the UPA government,” Bose said.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said in Kolkota that there was “nothing wrong” in the Trinamool Congress bringing no-confidence motion against the UPA government, which he accused committed “injustices and crimes against the people”.
“If the Trinamool Congress manages to ensure the support of 50 MPs required to ensure that the motion is admitted, then we won’t be able to save this government,” Dasgupta said.
West Bengal Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said the state Congress would observe a “condemnation day” Nov 22, the day the Trinamool Congress is slated to introduce the motion.
Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said a no-confidence motion brought by the Trinamool Congress would be defeated as the UPA has the support of over 300 MPs in the Lok Sabha. He said the 19 MP strong Trinamool Congress announcing a no-confidence motion shows its “closeness” to both the BJP and the CPI(M).