Ahead of the forthcoming winter session in Parliament, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said, the Trinamool Congress would move a "no confidence" motion in the house against Congress-led UPA II government.
In a rather unprecedented announcement, Banerjee said, she was "willing to talk to friends in the Left" to bring down the UPA II government, of which she was a part even a few months back.
"Sudip Bandopadhyay will introduce the no confidence motion in parliament. Saugata Roy will initiate the debate on this. This government at the Centre should go now. They have taken a series of anti-people decisions," she told reporters after the party's parliamentary committee meeting at writers' building here. Making several references to the Jaiprakash Narayan movement, the TMC chief said, "Time has come for all political parties to join hands again to end the Congress rule."
And then clearing all doubts on the question of her biggest political enemy now, she appealed to her "CPI-M friends". "There is no point in bringing a resolution against FDI under rule 184, or rule 193. You should bring down the government. Either support our no confidence motion or you bring the motion, we will support."
A message went out to the BJP as well. "If the Congress speaks to BJP that is not a problem, then why is it an issue if we appeal to them. It is a bigger issue, involving the interest of aam admi . Everyone should come forward."
When reminded that the SP and BSP might bail out the government, Banerjee said, "Attending a dinner or lunch does not mean extending support to the government. They should take a public stand on whether they support the anti-people decisions of this government or not.I have not spoken to any party, but I am ready to talk to any political party."
Incidentally, the TMC would require support of 50 Lok Sabha MPs to introduce a no-confidence motion in the house, but the party has only 19 members in the Lok Sabha.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari had earlier said, it would support a TMC-sponsored no-confidence motion in the parliament. Left parties, are yet to react to Mamata's appeal. However, the CPI-M has decided to move a motion under voting rules in both Houses of Parliament against the government's decision on the issue. Another Left party CPI and key NDA ally JD(U), on the other hand, are in favour of giving two notices under rule 184, which entails voting after debate, and rule 193, in which there is no provision for voting.
Responding to TMC's announcement today, Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Urban Development Deepa Dasmunsi said, "Where are the numbers? They have no numbers to move a no-confidence motion. If they are approaching the Left and the BJP, it will show their political class."
