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Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann tables confidence motion in assembly
House adjourned thrice amid protests; 15 Congress MLAs suspended for the day even as leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa objects to the motion, says it amounts to cocking a snook at Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit, who had rejected the government’s proposal to convene a special session for the confidence motion
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann tabled a confidence motion in the state assembly on Tuesday afternoon after the House was adjourned thrice with Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan suspending 15 Congress MLAs for the day for objecting to the move and two BJP MLAs walking out.
Cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora seconded the confidence motion.
Leader of opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa condemned the move to table the confidence motion, saying there was no provision in rules and regulation of the state assembly for it. Bajwa said this amounted to cocking a snook at Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit who had rejected the convening of a session on September 22 in this regard only.
Bajwa reiterated that the motion the AAP government was trying to table is illegal to which minister Aman Arora objected.
The Punjab governor had on Sunday given his nod to convene the House on September 27 after days of squabble between the Raj Bhavan and AAP government over holding a session of the assembly.
Two BJP members walk out of House
After the Speaker’s announcement, the two BJP MLAs -- Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan -- walked out of the House, stating that they were not included in the business advisory committee (BAC).
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira sought zero hour, which the Speaker declined. The Congress members remained adamant on the demand even when CM Mann got up to speak, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House thrice for 15 minutes each till 1.15pm.
Congress leaders acting as ‘B’ team of BJP: AAP
Fifteen Congress MLAs were suspended for the day for disrupting the House proceedings before the government was slated to bring in the motion of confidence.
Arora accused the Congress leaders of acting as the ‘B’ team of the BJP. The Congress members rushed into the well of the House in protest. At this, the Speaker named the Congress MLAs and asked marshals to take them out for disrupting the proceedings.
Mann asked for strict action against the Congress MLAs.
During the adjournment, AAP MLAs also raised slogans against the Congress.
Session extended till October 3
Sandhwan also said the business advisory committee of the House has decided to extend the duration of the session till October 3 as against the earlier tentative schedule of one day.
Speaking to reporters outside the assembly complex, minister Aman Arora said the chief minister will move a confidence motion in the House.
The AAP government enjoys brute majority with 92 MLAs in the 117-member House, but the BJP and its government at the Centre made attempts to topple the government in the state, he alleged.
“So, it is our duty that three crore people of Punjab are told there is no danger to the mandate they have given us,” said Arora.
The AAP government in Punjab had earlier sought the special session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion, days after it accused the BJP of trying to topple its government.
The AAP had recently claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of ₹25 crore to each of them in a bid to topple the six-month-old government under its ‘Operation Lotus.’ Purohit had approved the state government’s request to convene the House on September 27 after it informed him that issues like stubble burning, goods and services tax and power supply will be taken up during the one-day session of the assembly.
Purohit had on September 21 withdrawn permission to hold a special assembly session on September 22 when the AAP government wanted to bring a “confidence motion only”.
