NEW DELHI: Seeking to turn the debate on the no-confidence motion into a national debate on the Modi government’s performance, the BJP has strategised to exploit the discussions to its advantage. BJP national president Amit Shah went into a huddle with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and other senior leaders in Parliament to strategise for the Friday debate and vote on the no-confidence motion with the aims to ensure that the government wins the perception battle ahead of the key Assembly elections slated later this year.
The BJP is said to have carefully selected the speakers to take on the Opposition camp on the key issues it plans to raise, which include atrocities against Dalits, agrarian/rural distress, banking frauds and the state of the economy, unemployment among youth and rising crimes against women.
“We will take the debate to its logical conclusions. The BJP MPs will utilise the opportunity to firmly counter the Opposition narrative on issues being raised outside Parliament. The no-confidence motion is not about the test of strength, which is evidently known to the Opposition, but to thrust one’s views in public perception in the light of key state elections later this year. The BJP is ready for the battle of perception,” said a Union minister.
Though the debate is slated during 11 am to 6 pm, there’s anticipation that it may extend to late evening. The Prime Minister, in his reply to the motion, is expected to be his combative best. The BJP will pick five MPs to take part in the debate that will be initiated by TDP MP Kesineni Sriniwas. Though the ruling party refused to divulge the names of the speakers, sources said it is likely to field former Union minister Hukum Dev Narayan Yadav or Veerendra Singh Mast to speak on agrarian/rural distress, Anurag Thakur on youth and unemployment, Nishikant Dubey or Kirit Parikh on financial frauds and economy, Meenakshi Lekhi on women’s issues and Udit Raj on atrocities against Dalits.
The Opposition, too, did not reveal the names of the speakers , but Jyotiraditya Scindia (Congress), Saugata Roy and Dinesh Trivedi(TMC), Supriya Sule (NCP), Mohammed Salim (CPI-M), Dharmendra Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD), Galla Jaydev and Ram Mohan Naidu (TDP) may be taking part in the debate.