New Delhi: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to use the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the government—to be debated in Parliament on Friday—as a launch pad for the 2019 general election.
Senior leaders and parliamentarians of the BJP said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lead the response of the Union government against the charges made by Congress-led opposition parties.
“It is a self goal by the Congress and its alliance partners because the BJP-NDA (National Democratic AlliancE( combine has comfortable majority in Lok Sabha. Also, the motion provides a platform for the government to showcase all its good work done in the last four years,” said a senior BJP parliamentarian who is aware of the party’s strategy.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be the last person to speak on the debate in Lok Sabha and inform the people both inside and outside Parliament about the NDA government’s development work. His will be the last word on the debate and he is the head of the government so opposition parties cannot disrupt the House when he is addressing,” the BJP parliamentarian added. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also expected to speak during the debate.
As part of its strategy, senior leaders of the BJP are reaching out to all NDA partners for support. BJP president Amit Shah spoke to Shiv Sena chief Udhhav Thackeray on Thursday to get support of his party.
Members of the BJP are also reaching out to political parties that are not part of any coalition, especially All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Biju Janata Dal. Their support is crucial as together they have 68 members of Parliament (MPs) in Lok Sabha.
The government has a comfortable majority in the Lower House with 309 members, including 273 of BJP. The present strength of the Lok Sabha is 534, including the Speaker. The government needs the support of 268 MPs to cross the halfway mark.
“Sonia Gandhi’s maths is weak... Modi government has a majority both inside and outside Parliament. NDA will vote against the no-confidence motion...,” parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said.
Among the issues which the government expects the opposition to raise are cases of mob lynchings, rural distress, atrocities against women and Dalits and changes to a law meant for protecting Scheduled Castes from atrocities.