NEW DELHI: The BJP and Trinamool Congress parties were at odds on Wednesday over whether the opposition Indian Union had sought division of votes in the Lok Sabha elections, with the former saying it was not sticking to the votes and the latter alleging that a “countless government” had ignored the demands of several lawmakers.
This came after the Trinamool Party on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress for not conducting proper consultations in selecting Kodikunnil Suresh as its India Bloc candidate for the Speaker elections. The party conveyed its decision to support Suresh to the Congress on Wednesday morning.
BJP MP Om Birla was elected Speaker for a second consecutive term in a voice vote on a motion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Three motions by the Opposition seeking the election of Kodikunnir Suresh were not carried as Birla’s election was confirmed on the first motion.
Trinamool Congress general secretary and senior MP Abhishek Banerjee told reporters that footage of the House proceedings clearly showed several Opposition members seeking division of votes but Acting Speaker Bathari Mahatab did not allow it.
“As per the rules, if a member of the House requests for a division of the vote, the Speaker pro tempore has to grant a division in this case. If you look at the footage from the House, it is clearly visible that several members from the Opposition camp sought a division to put the motion to a vote but the motion was adopted without being put to a vote,” he said.
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“This is a clear proof of the fact that the ruling party, BJP here, does not have a majority. This government is running without a majority and is illegal, immoral, unethical and unconstitutional,” he added.
However, Indian National Congress general secretary (communications) and Senate leader Jairam Ramesh said the Indian side did not seek vote division as they wanted the spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail.
“Indian parties exercised their democratic right and moved a motion in support of Lok Sabha Speaker Kodikunnil Suresh. An oral vote was taken. Indian parties could have then insisted on division. They did not. This is because they wanted the spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, and that spirit is severely lacking in the actions of the PM and the NDA,” Ramesh posted on ‘X’.
Derek O’Brien, floor leader of the Indian National Congress, posted on X, “Several MPs from a number of parties in the Indian Bloc had their constitutional rights taken away today. The rules are crystal clear. Has the NDA acted in fear?”
Published June 26, 2024 08:54 IST
