Shekhawat Proves Majority In Motion Of Thanks

Amidst bedlam, the three-year-old Bhairon Singh Shekhawat ministry yesterday virtually proved its majority in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly when 115 members, including rebel BJP MLAs, supported the motion of thanks on the Governors address.

The House imposed a three-month suspension on five members, including rebel BJP MLA Gopi Chand Gurjar, who slapped the minister of state for social welfare Madan Dilawar in the House earlier in the day. The whole exercise of passing of the motions of vote of thanks and suspension of the MLAs was completed within 10 minutes when the House re-assembled after a third adjournment. The Speaker, Shanti Lal Chaplot, put the motion of thanks, moved by Ghanshyam Tiwari (BJP), to vote without any discussion and was passed by raising of hands. After counting the heads, the Speaker announced the passage of the motion with 115 members supporting it in a House having an effective strength of 199.

The motion was passed even as the opposition Congress and other members were scuffling with the watch and ward staff in the well of the House in an attempt to reach the Speakers podium and stop the proceedings. Surprisingly, some rebel BJP members, including Gurjar, who was suspended from the party two days ago, were seen raising their hands in support of the motion. The House also passed by a voice vote a motion moved by BJP chief whip Mahavir Jain to suspend five members for three months before the Speaker adjourned the House till March six.