Opposition divided? TMC opts to wait before signing no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs are said to sign the no-confidence motion resolution against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, but the opposition party will wait before giving a green signal to the motion.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said, "...Our suggestion to them was that the issues, including suspension of MPs, LoP not being allowed to speak, women MPs being falsely accused and that the Chair is working in the biased manner... We said that firstly, we should write a letter in the form of a protest to the Speaker and the signatures of all opposition MPs should be there and we should give the Speaker 2-3 days' time."

"If the Speaker does not take any action to it, then we always have the room to move no confidence motion, we have not problem..." he added.


However, sources told news agency ANI that TMC is said to refrain from signing the Congress-led no-confidence motion against Birla.

Congress has garnered support from the RJD, Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has not yet declared its position.

Also read: 'Wait for action': Congress amid reports that Oppn may move no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla

This comes in the backdrop of the Opposition alleging that the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak in the House during the discussion on the motion of Thanks to the President's Address during the ongoing Budget Session.

Gandhi cited Army Chief General MM Naravane's unpublished memoir to discuss the 2020 standoff against China, which attracted the Speaker's opposition and upheaval from the ruling party members present at the Parliament. The Speaker passed a ruling, asking Gandhi not cite unpublished literature, citing parliamentary rules and ethics. He denied permission to proceed with the reading.

Congress MP K C Venugopal alleged that Gandhi and other opposition leaders are not being allowed to air their views in the Lower House, while the government side can state whatever they want and even make "derogatory remarks" against the opposition members.