By Prarthana Mitra
The Congress, the CPM, the AIADMK, the AIMIM and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have announced their support for the no-confidence motion against the BJP-led NDA government. The motion was led by Andhras Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and rival YSR Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, showing BJP’s dwindling support in the south.
BJP will win the vote but may have lost South India
TDP’s decision to file for a no-trust motion comes days after the party quit the NDA alliance, and after two of its union ministers were asked to resign by Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, over the issue of granting special status to Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu has reportedly also accused the BJP of colluding with YS Jagan Mohan Reddys YSRCP and actor Pavan Kalyans Jana Sena Party to target the TDP in the state. By alienating the TDP, BJP has lost confidence in the south, as political parties in all five southern states of Telangana, Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are rallying to vote against the BJP.
Read More: TDP lays out 19 promises and a deadline, ready to split if BJP does not cede
Embarrassment for the BJP-NDA alliance
Disruption in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha led to adjournment till Monday which means that the no-confidence motion, whenever moved, is likely to remain an optical exercise. Allies who have expressed their lack of confidence in the BJP believe that it will have served its purpose nonetheless, in dealing the BJP-NDA alliance a further blow.
Congress support, who has 48 seats in the Lower House, could be a huge addition to TDPs 16 members and YSRs nine-member block. A minimum of 50 no-confidence votes are necessary for the opposition to move the motion. The Parliament, in which BJP enjoys a majority will undoubtedly vote against the motion, but the overwhelming support in favour of it is proof of the dwindling confidence for NDA among the opposition.
No confidence motion will be moved, but unlikely to pass
A vote of no-confidence is called for when the elected Council of Ministers has not been answerable for their actions and decisions to their oppositional counterparts in the Lok Sabha. It literally expresses no confidence in the ruling government which if passed, entails that the government must resign.
TDP and YSRCP will in all probability not win the motion in the House. However, they will be able to demonstrate the point that they do want to put across: BJP is not as strong as it was before, and unless it respects federal and regional autonomy, it will continue to lose crucial support that it needs to keep the government running.