Focus on trust vote stalls irrigation scam debate

Oppn had planned to corner the ruling Cong-NCP combine over the irrigation scam, but differences over no-trust motion ensured this didn't happen. Shailesh Gaikwad reports.

A divided Opposition turned out to be the Congress-NCP's biggest advantage on Tuesday as it did not have to face a tough time over the irrigation scam in the state legislature.

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Moreover, a confused Opposition could not make up its mind over the no-trust motion.

The Opposition parties' strategy to corner the government over the irrigation scam went haywire as the Shiv Sena angered its ally BJP as well as other opposition parties like the MNS by not taking them into confidence before seeking to move a no-trust motion.

Losing the trust vote in the first week of the session would have been demoralising for the Opposition. Lapping up the opportunity given by the Sena, ruling parties on Monday decided to take up the issue of the trust vote within two working days of the Legislature.

Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil on Tuesday asked the Sena whether it was ready to move the no-trust motion. This led to confusion within Opposition parties as BJP wanted to rake up the irrigation scam issue. The Opposition soon bought time thanks to a remark by home minister RR Patil, who said the ruling side was ready to take on the Opposition in the legislature as well as on the streets, after which the Opposition forced the adjournment of the house.

Though Sena leader Subhash Desai said his party was ready to move the no-trust motion any time, BJP sources said they would prefer to move it next week. But ate on Tuesday, BJP leader Gopinath Munde came to the Sena's rescue by offering to build a consensus among all Opposition parties on the no-trust motion.