TMC seeks deferring no-confidence debate, later accept Friday

With the Lok Sabha deciding to debate the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government on Friday, the Trinamool Congress today urged the Speaker to defer it till Monday saying it had a scheduled programme.

However, later outside the House, they said all TMC MPs would attend the debate and participate in the voting on the motion, which has been slated on Friday.

Soon after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that the discussion on the no-confidence motion would be held on Friday, TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi requested her to change the date as his party MPs would not be present in Delhi as they would be in Kolkata to participate in the programme in Kolkata which was pre-scheduled.

"As you know, we have the 'Martyr's Rally' on July 21. Every MP needs to be present in Kolkata for its preparation. We appeal to you to kindly change the date so that we can all participate. This is for the sake of democracy and for Parliament. We have 34 MPs. So kindly consider our request and postpone the discussion to July 24," Trivedi appealed to the Speaker.

He was supported by his party leader Saugata Roy.

Supporting the TMC members, Leader of Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge also appealed to Mahajan to change the date so that the TMC MPs could also articipate in the discussion.

Though Mahajan allowed Trivedi to put his request in the House, she said the TMC should have informed her in the Business Advisary Committee meet held in the morning about the pre-scheduled party event.

"This issue cannot be discussed. I have listened to your apeal and noted it. But you cannot discuss it here. TMC should have given in written before the Business Advisory Committee meet today morning," Seaker told Trivedi.

Interestingly, there was no representation from TMC in the Business Advisary Committee meeting as TMC leader in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay, is not in town.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Ananth Kumar said it was the prerogative of the Speaker to fix any date for discussion and all members should be ready for it.

However, TMC members staged a walk-out as their demand was not immediately met.

Later Trivedi spoke to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on phone about the situation and said that the Chief Minister has conveyed to him that the TMC MPs would be present in the House for the discussion on July 20.

"Banerjee has directed all TMC MPs to be present in the House on July 20 to attend the discussion. She has said that she took the decision keeping in mind the interest of the country, democracy and Parliament," Trivedi told reporters.

TMC would also issue a whip for its members to be present in Lok Sabha till voting is completed.