No-trust motion: Undecided AIADMK told to leverage opportunity

As Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Friday pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and was set to move a no-confidence motion against the government, Tamil Nadu's AIADMK said it was yet to decide on its move.

Reacting to the political developments at the national level, MDMK leader Vaiko urged the AIADMK party to utilise this opportunity and pressurise the BJP-led central government to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) for support against the no-confidence motion.

With the third largest number of members (37) in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and Congress, the AIADMK was undecided whether to support or oppose the motion, said a senior party leader.

"The party will take a decision on the issue and one cannot comment on that now," the AIADMK leader told IANS preferring anonymity.

The BJP and PMK has one seat each in Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu.

The leader said the possibility of the BJP government defeating the no-confidence motion is relatively high with the support from smaller parties.

"We expect the no-confidence motion to be moved by the Congress. The party is in alliance with DMK in Tamil Nadu. In short, the anti-AIADMK alliance will be moving the no-confidence motion and it may not be politically possible to support that given the stakes at the state level," he added.

Adding further even if the no-confidence motion wins, then the the question of who would stake the claim to form the government aligning with whom is there, he said.

"The BJP government may continue to be a caretaker government and then face the electorate," he added.

TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday discussed with party leaders the proposal to move the No-Confidence Motion against the Narendra Modi government.

During a teleconference while deciding to pull out of the NDA, Naidu said that the party should move the no-trust motion on its own instead of supporting the one being moved by their rival YSR Congress Party.

Naidu directed TDP MP Thota Narasimham to submit a notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat in this regard, informed sources said.

Narasimham in a letter to the Lok Sabha Secretary Snehlata Shrivastava said: "This House expresses No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers...

"I request you to include the motion in the revised list of Business for March 16."

The no-trust move could become an opportune moment for the AIADMK to pressurise the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC).

On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed an unanimous resolution demanding the central government to set up the CMB and CWRC as per the Supreme Court order.

The AIADMK members are protesting outside the Parliament demanding the central government to set up the CMB and CWRC.