NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed slugfest over government formation in Manipur and Goa, with the Congress alleging flouting of the democratic norms. Even while the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow discussions on the issue, the Congress members were heard shouting from their benches, with the treasury benches refuting their claims.
The Congress staged a walk out during the Question Hour after the Speaker declined to allow Mallikarjuna Kharge to raise the issue. Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitely rose to make an intervention, claiming that strong words had been used by the Opposition, the Speaker stated that nothing had gone in the record.
Later, Jaitely blogged to argue that the convention has evolved from calling the single largest party to form the government bin favour of the group demonstrating majority support, while giving a number of instances in the past.
Noting that the Congress “complains a bit too much”, Jaitely wrote in the post that there are several instances to support the Governor of Goa to invite Manohar Parrikar having the support of 21 MLAs to form the government. He argued that after the demonstration of the support of 21 MLAs the Governor could not have invited a formation of 17 MLAs to form the government in Goa. Jaitely added that the Congress unsuccessfully knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court.