Punjab CM moves confidence motion, BJP walks out, Congress MLAs removed
Premium- As Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann moved the confidence motion, the BJP walks out, while the Congress MLAs were escorted out
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday moved the confidence motion in the state Assembly after Governor Banwarilal Purohit gave his nod to convene the House after days of squabble between the Raj Bhavan and AAP government over holding a session of the Assembly. As Bhagwant Mann tabled a confidence motion, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs staged a walkout, while the Congress legislators were escorted out by the Marshals.
After moving the Motion of Confidence, Bhagwant Mann accused Congress of supporting BJP's "Operation Lotus". He alleged that the Congress MLAs in Punjab ran away from discussion in the House.
Bhagwant Mann said, “The Congress is in such a situation that nobody wants to take over as its president", while taking a jibe at the party over the political crisis in Rajasthan where MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot did not meet central observers of the party.
Bhagwant Mann also attacked the BJP, saying the saffron party feels only they should be in power everywhere.
WHY DID BJP WALK OUT?
Two BJP MLAs -- Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan -- had earlier walked out of the Punjab Assembly after Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan announced that Bhagwant Mann would move the confidence motion.
Earlier, the AAP had claimed that at least 10 AAP legislators were approached by the BJP in a bid to topple the government. The AAP claimed that the BJP had approached the AAP MLAs with an offer of ₹25 crore to each of them.
WHY WERE CONGRESS MLAs ESCORTED OUT?
Earlier, some Congress MLAs were named by the Speaker for repeatedly disrupting the House proceedings forcing its brief adjournment for ten minutes on two occasions.
When the House reassembled after being adjourned for the second time, the Congress MLAs had not left the Assembly. The Speaker then directed the Marshals to escort them out.
The Speaker also directed that the Congress MLAs, who were escorted out, will not attend the Assembly session for the day.
(With agency inputs)
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