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No-trust move rejected in Gujarat

GANDHINAGAR, Oct 3 (PTI) — Amid uproarious scenes, the Gujarat Assembly today rejected by voice vote the Opposition’s no-confidence motion against the two-and-half-year-old Keshubhai Patel ministry.

The no-confidence motion was moved by Leader of Opposition Amarsinh Choudhary in the House following the ruling BJP’s debacle in the recently concluded civic-panchayat elections, saying that the government had lost the confidence of the people.

It was put to voice vote by Speaker Dhirubhai Shah at the end of the two-day sitting.

Earlier, the House witnessed commotion and noisy scenes during a two-hour discussion on the motion, following the remark “lootera” made by Mr Chaudhary against the BJP members, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House four times.

BJP members continued to oppose the remark and insisted that Mr Choudhary withdraw the words as they were unparliamentary and apologise to the House.

Sticking to his remarks, saying they were used by the people and not by him, Mr Chaudhary claimed the words had been used in the slips recovered from a ballot box in Rajkot in the recent civic poll.

The Assembly was later adjourned sine-die on completion of the day’s business.

The Speaker announced the adjournment of the House after it rejected the no-confidence motion.

Immediately after question hour, Mr Choudhary moved a one-line no-confidence motion against the Patel ministry, saying that the present government had lost the confidence of the people.

The motion was later admitted by the House after the Speaker put it to vote and decided to take up the debate after the recess as Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel accepted the discussion on the motion. Mr Patel told the Opposition that he was prepared to face the motion today.

The motion was later taken up for discussion for two hours but the remark made by Mr Chaudhary continued to be brought up by the Treasury Benches.

The Speaker was forced to adjourn the House four times for 10 minutes on two occasions and for 15 minutes twice, trying to restore order in vain as BJP members continued to insist that Mr Choudhary withdraw the words and raised anti-Congress slogans.

The Chief Minister also joined the members in demanding withdrawal of the remark and apology from Mr Choudhary.

As Mr Choudhary did not heed to the request and pressure of ruling party members, the BJP members continued to thump the desks even after the four adjournments. At one stage, they also did not allow Mr Subash Shelat (Cong) to speak on the issue.

The Speaker tried to persuade the members to take their seats and complete the discussion on the motion but the members enraged over the remarks did not allow the House to continue the discussion.

At the fag end of the day’s sitting, the Speaker put the motion to voice vote, which was rejected. He later took up other business of the House and adjourned it sine-die.

Choudhury expelled from CPM

NEW DELHI, Oct 3 (PTI) —Controversial CPM leader Saifuddin Choudhury, who demanded greater democratic functioning and transparency in party affairs, has been expelled from the party.

However, general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet remained silent on the charges against him saying that it was a decision of the west Bengal state committee which was “just endorsed” by the central committee here yesterday.

To a query why Mr Choudhury, who was earlier dropped from the central committee and later refused a party ticket to fight the general election last year, had been removed from the rolls Mr Surjeet said , “ask the state committee. It is their decision. We don’t know about his activities. They know what is wrong.”

He evaded repeated questions regarding reasons for the expulsion at a press conference here after a two-day central committee meeting.