Punjab: Bhagwant Mann-Led Govt Proves House Majority With Vote On Confidence Motion In Assembly

The Punjab government sought an assembly session to prove its majority in the house as CM Bhagwant Mann alleged that the BJP and the Congress were trying to topple his government.

New Delhi: The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government proved its majority on Monday by voting on the motion of confidence in the Legislative Assembly, as reported by news agency PTI. The Chief Minister had moved the motion in the Assembly last week alleging that the BJP was trying to topple his government. After a lengthy discussion on the confidence motion, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan put it to vote. He asked MLAs to raise hands who were in support, and then asked those who were against the motion of confidence.

"So, 93 MLAs have supported the motion and none is against it. Thus, the motion is unanimously passed," the Speaker said.

Mann moved the confidence motion on the first day of the Assembly session and criticised the BJP for its alleged 'Operation Lotus'. He also accused the Congress of working hand in hand with the saffron party, news agency PTI reported.

The AAP recently claimed that the BJP approached at least ten of its MLAs with an offer of Rs 25 crore each in order to destabilise the six-month-old government as part of its "Operation Lotus."

In the session last week, the House was adjourned thrice on Tuesday as Congress MLAs disrupted the proceedings. Before the motion was moved, the Congress MLAs were marshalled out while BJP legislators staged a walkout.

Speaking in the Assembly, CM Bhagwant Mann said Congress MLAs "ran away" from discussion in the House, as reported by PTI.

Attacking the BJP, the Punjab Chief Minister said the saffron party feels only they should be in power everywhere. "Three crore people of Punjab have faith in us. I have full faith in my 91 soldiers (AAP MLAs)," Mann remarked.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has 91 legislators in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, while the opposition has 19 seats, 18 of which are held by the Congress and one by an Independent MLA. 

The Assembly session was convened after Governor Banwarilal Purohit gave his nod to it following days of squabble between the Raj Bhavan and AAP government over it. Earlier, the Governor had withdrawn permission to hold a special session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion.

He then approved the government's request to convene the House after it informed him that issues like stubble burning, goods and services tax, and power supply would also be taken up.

Leader of the Opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa said he would urge Governor Banwarilal Purohit to censure Mann for misleading him and the House over the issue of confidence motion and also get an FIR registered against the chief minister.

(With Agency Inputs)