Congress moves no-confidence motion against SAD-BJP govt

Congress today moved a no- confidence motion against the Akali Dal-BJP alliance government in the Punjab Assembly here.

Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar moved the motion on issue of drug menace in Punjab and the failure of the Parkash Singh Badal-led government to check the trade and providing patronage to it.

Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal adopted the motion and allotted two hours for the discussion.

The ruling SAD-BJP alliance has been allotted 72 minutes, Congress 45 minutes and Independents three minutes.

Jakhar requested the Speaker to allot 10 minutes out of its quota to the Independents.

The no-confidence motion has been moved in background of the summons issued by Enforcement Directorate to Cabinet Minister Bikramjit Majithia, in the drug smuggling racket.

Majithia is brother of Union Minister Harsimrat Badal and brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The defeat of the motion is a foregone conclusion as the SAD (58) and BJP (12) have a total strength of 70 in the 117 member state assembly while Congress has 44 members and remaining three are Independents.

SAD last evening ridiculed the Punjab Congress for 'trying to disrupt' the winter session of state Assembly by deciding to prop up a 'frivolous no confidence motion which was doomed to fail'.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal yesterday said the SAD-BJP combine government "fully and gladly accepts the challenge of the Opposition".

BJP state President Kamal Sharma too said BJP would not play in the hands of the Congress and would firmly stand by SAD as it is an important partner of NDA government at the Centre so there is no question of supporting the no-confidence motion.