'No-Trust Move Has More Politics Than Confidence'

The no-confidence motion proposed by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) floor leader Etela Rajender secured the support of 45 legislators, including the 17 from the YSR Congress, four from the CPI, three from the BJP, one each from the CPM and Lok Satha, independent Nagam Janardhan Reddy and a rebel TDP MLA Koppula Harishwar Reddy.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) could not escape from the charge that it colluded with the Congress, at least, at the moment. The Congress began a new slogan to campaign that the TRS and YSR Congress were hand in glove. Minister Sake Sailajanath, who is a united Andhra voice within the Congress, said that the YSRC joined hands with the separatist TRS. Thereby, the minister tried to derive political mileage.

Interestingly, the YSRC can explain that it had joined the hands with the TRS as the motion was tabled saying that the party lost confidence in the Congress Government. The episode is replete more with politics than governance.

The swift turn of events, as they are still unfolding, seemed very interesting. The ruling Congress issued a whip, exclusively to those who went adrift to sail with the YSR Congress, exactly treading the same path as that of the TDP.

The TDP had earlier issued whip to “take a neutral” stand on the no-confidence motion being proposed by the other opposition parties and also wanted its MLAs “not to vote for the no-confidence motion”. The whip was served only on those who were supporting the YSR Congress and those who moved away from the party fold towards the TRS. It is not known whether Chinnam Ramakotaiah of Nuzvid constituency, who is cozying up with the Congress, was served this notice.

The TDP in fact set a trend for the Congress to follow.

The Speaker, who accepted the no-confidence motion, called for the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings. Though the TRS and the YSRC insisted that the no-confidence motion be taken up only during the second leg of Budget session that would commence on April 23, the ruling party wanted the discussion and voting to be completed on Friday itself, however much time it might take.

Accordingly, the Speaker chose to take up the discussion on the no-confidence motion and complete the voting today itself. The ruling Congress completed the rebrowning of its arms to combat the motion. With TDP opting out of voting, the Congress Government led by Kiran Kumar Reddy survives the no-trust move for sure.

However, if the TDP changes its tack in the last minute and decides to participate in the voting against the government, the Congress would be in for a major embarrassment. YSRC legislator and former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy challenged that he would quit politics, if the Government did not fall, provided the TDP also voted in favour of the motion.

TRS MLA K Taraka Rama Rao peaked his sarcasm against the TDP suggesting that Chandrababu Naidu should take the post of a Deputy Chief Minister and let his MLAs join the ministry of Kiran Kumar Reddy as the latter had suggested that the Government might take up Cabinet reshuffle soon. He amplified his criticism that the TDP and the Congress were hand in glove.

Telugu Desam Party MLA Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy said that the TRS and t he YSR Congress were ridiculously targeting the TDP and it appeared as if they moved the no-confidence motion against the main opposition and not the government.