No-confidence motion set for Friday, BJP remains unperturbed

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha will hold discussions on the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) no-confidence motion against the centre over the Andhra Pradesh special status row on Friday.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said during the first day of the Monsoon Session on Wednesday that the discussion will be followed by voting on the same.

"The House will take up the debate (on the motion) on Friday, July 20th. The discussion will be held for the full day, followed by voting on it," Mahajan.

When asked about the trust vote, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi told media: "Who says we don't have the numbers?"

However, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale responding to Sonia's comment said, "I think such overconfidence will serve no purpose. We will show a clear majority on July 20. We will win comfortably and show our strength to the opposition"

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday announced that all opposition parties have come to a consensus to move the Vote of No Confidence Motion in the Monsoon Session.

Before that, on Sunday TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu wrote letters to non-BJP, non-Congress parties' presidents and Parliamentary party leaders seeking support on a no-confidence motion against the Centre over demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Thereafter, the TDP made six-subgroups of the party leaders, who met and handover Chandrababu Naidu's letter and a booklet explaining the injustice done to the state and seek the support of various parties.