No-Confidence Motion On Manipur Brings BRS, Congress On Same Table

The Lok Sabha has seen a no-trust motion being filed against the Narendra Modi-led government by the Congress and BRS to apply pressure on the ruling BJP over the Manipur issue, and it was accepted by the Lower house. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he would like to discuss the matter with floor leaders and assign a stipulated date and time for measuring up the motion. The notice for the motion, moved by Congress deputy leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, was taken up for a vote and was backed by the Congress, DMK, TMC, BRS, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JD(U) and Left parties. While Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) Nama Nageswara Rao had also given notice to move a no-confidence motion against the government. The K Chandrashekhar Rao-led BRS has nine MPs and is not part of the ‘I.N.D.I.A’ coalition. This move has come about in the midst of the ongoing parliamentary impasse over the ethnic clashes in Manipur that have led to the death of over 100 people, with thousands displaced. The conflict, and the government’s inability to end it even after three months of violence, has been an important reason for the continuous logjam in both houses of Parliament since the monsoon session began on July 20. While the opposition parties’ no-confidence motion is expected to fail in terms of numbers, they argue that they can still win the perception battle by focusing on the Manipur issue during the debate. Meanwhile, BRS’s strategy indicates that KCR might be preparing ground for an alliance with Congress in the near future, but a transparent picture would emerge only after the outcome of the Telangana assembly elections.

SP’S UP ALLIANCE WITH BHIM ARMY CHIEF IN THE PIPELINE, TALKS WITH CONGRESS LIKELY

Samajwadi Party’s national president Akhilesh Yadav is likely to lead the Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, there has been talk of an alliance between SP and Azad Samaj Party founder and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad who has been working for the cause of Dalit welfare and has great influence in belts of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor and adjoining areas. The buzz is that SP might offer two seats to Azad Samaj Party and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad may fight the Lok Sabha elections from Bijnor. However, the meeting of opposition parties in Bengaluru has given rise to some indications of Samajwadi Party (SP) and its allies – the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the Apna Dal (K) exploring possibility of joining hands with the Congress.

SONIA GANDHI MEETING SANJAY SINGH SIGNALS NEW CONGRESS-AAP BONHOMIE

Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi met AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who has been sitting in protest in the Parliament campus near the Mahatma Gandhi statue. During her interaction, she told him that the Congress lends him full support. This gesture has been seen as a fresh sign of the new bonhomie between the two parties. Members of the INDIA alliance campaigned outside the Parliament, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official statement on the Manipur issue in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Sanjay Singh had been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the session during the Opposition protests on Manipur, which led to the sit-in protest. He was joined by MPs from AAP and other opposition parties, many of whom were seen holding ‘INDIA for Manipur’ placards. Sanjay Singh’s restoration to the upper house is also one of the demands of the protesters, and Singh has attained the support of nearly all opposition leaders. It includes Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as well as the NCP chief Sharad Pawar,

BRS EYES WINNING TELANGANA ASSEMBLY POLLS, COURTS BHIM ARMY CHIEF

The BRS is emphasizing more on the preparation for crucial assembly elections in Telangana. The CM KC Rao-led Telangana government launched a new welfare scheme with the aim to extend financial assistance to the eligible Backward Classes (BCs) beneficiaries. This Economic Support Scheme with 100 per cent subsidy’ proposes to provide a one-time financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to one member of the BC beneficiary family. The government on July 23 extended the scheme to Muslims and Christians too. BRS is now concentrating on strengthening its support among BCs and minorities. Meanwhile BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Thursday told that the people of Telangana would extend their support to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad in his demand for naming the new Parliament Building after BR Ambedkar and also installing his statue on the premises. The Bhim Army chief, who is in the city on a two-day visit, paid a courtesy call on Kalvakuntla Kavitha. During their one-hour meeting, they discussed their political strategies and the programmes which were being undertaken by the State government for the Bahujans and Dalits in Telangana. They visited the 125-foot statue of Ambedkar near the Secretariat, where they paid floral tributes. They also paid homage and tribute to the Telangana Martyrs at Amara Jyoti.

CONGRESS FOCUSES ON TRIBALS, DALITS, WOMEN TO RETAKE MADHYA PRADESH

In Madhya Pradesh, Congress has commenced the preparations for the assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In a bid to promote and highlight the party cadres and to revive the politics of social justice, the state Congress president Kamal Nath has promised a census of OBCs if the party attains power. He was addressing OBC mega convention (maha sammelan) in the city, which saw participation of about 40 different castes. Kamal Nath said the BJP-led state government did not conduct caste-based census as its motives would be exposed. “Congress is the party, which gave 27% reservation to OBCs. We will conduct caste-based census in the state to know the facts. Welfare schemes and policies will be formulated accordingly,” he added. On the other hand, Congress is emphasizing more on Bundelkhand, Malwa and Vindhya region. The Congress is eyeing women voters and the former CM announced that if his party leads and forms the government again in Madhya Pradesh in the state assembly election scheduled later this year, a financial aid of Rs. 18,000 per year would be given to women and it would be largest ‘women empowerment scheme of the world’. Congress is also shifting campaign slots in MP by planning to organize at least half-a-dozen rallies by August-end to be addressed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. As per strategy, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will lead the party’s poll campaign in urban areas and Rahul Gandhi will focus on the tribal, Dalit and rural areas. In the state, the tribal and Dalit classes have been considered the focus of power, because 47 seats are reserved for the tribals, while 35 seats are reserved for the scheduled castes. These two classes account for about 37 per cent of the state’s population and will go on to influence elections in a big way. (IPA Service)