Kejriwal set to table confidence motion in Delhi assembly today

In the backdrop of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) charges that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying to topple the party’s government in Delhi, a “motion of confidence” will be brought in the Delhi assembly by the government to prove that no MLA has joined the opposition’s ranks.

Delhi chief minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, during his speech in the assembly on Friday, said that he will bring a ‘confidence motion’ in the House to prove to the Delhi residents that “the BJP has failed to buy any AAP MLAs” in Delhi. The BJP has been dismissive of the AAP claims, saying Delhi’s ruling party was indulging in “theatrics” to divert attention instead of responding to questions on the excise policy that is under investigation by CBI.

“It is being said they (BJP) broke away a number of MLAs. I received phone calls, people asked me if everything is alright. I’d like to bring a confidence motion in House to show people that not even one went away, that the BJP’s Operation Lotus became ‘Operation Keechad’ here,” Kejriwal said in his speech in the House on Friday.

PDT Achary, former secretary general of Lok Sabha on Friday, said normally a ‘no confidence’ motion is brought in the House by the opposition when the ruling party is deemed to have lost majority in the House. But, the ruling party can also bring in a confidence motion in the House, he said. “The government can bring a confidence motion in House anytime. Normally, a no confidence motion is brought when the ruling party’s majority in the House is doubtful. Since the AAP has 62 out of the total 70 members in the House, it will easily establish its majority,” he said.

According to the list of business issued by the assembly secretariat, “CM Arvind Kejriwal will move the following Motion: This House expresses its confidence in the Council of Ministers.”

After the chief minister proposed to bring in a motion of confidence, the sitting of the special session of the assembly was extended by a day on Friday. “Taking the sense of the House, it was decided to extend the sitting of the House and take up the motion on Monday, 29th August 2022,” according to a bulletin of business issued by the Vidhan Sabha.

Speaking on a government resolution moved by transport minister Kailash Gahlot to note “with deep concern the activities of some forces which are bent upon to create an environment which is not conducive to the ongoing good development works”, CM Kejriwal amped up AAP attacks on the BJP over recent raids at the residence of his deputy Manish Sisodia, reiterating his party’s accusation that the raids were part of a continuing effort to topple the AAP government in Delhi and discourage AAP from contesting the Gujarat assembly elections.

The session will begin on 11am on Monday.

Leader of the opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said that the BJP MLAs are geared up to seek Sisodia’s resignation over the “excise scam.” “We will question the silence of the government on the excise scam worth thousands of crores. CM Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders have been making baseless claims that the BJP is trying to topple their government. It is just a diversionary tactic to take the attention away from the excise scam,” said Bidhuri. The BJP leader also said that the BJP legislators will raise the issue of “corruption” in the construction of new classrooms in government schools.

A Delhi government spokesperson did not comment on the allegations by Bidhuri.