No-confidence motion against PM Modi: Rahul Gandhi likely to open debate in Lok Sabha today

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will face his second no-confidence motion in Parliament, which would be the first in his second term as PM. A time of 12 hours has reportedly been fixed for the discussion.

"In this, a time of about 6 hours and 41 minutes has been fixed for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and about one hour and 15 minutes for the Congress party. While, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Shivsena, Janata Dal -United (JDU), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have been given a total of 2 hours, which has been divided according to the number of party members in the house", ANI reported citing sources.

At the same time, a time limit of 1 hour 10 minutes has been set for other small parties and independent MPs.

Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi's motion of no-confidence has been listed as agenda item three in the List of Business and takes place under the shadow of the ethnic violence in Manipur, which has led to repeated disruptions in both the Houses of Parliament.

It is expected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose membership was restored following a Supreme Court direction, will open the discussion on the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha today. Gandhi made his comeback as an MP on Monday afternoon soon after the Lok Sabha revoked his disqualification as member after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case in which he was awarded a maximum two-year sentence.

It may also be noted that PM Modi is scheduled to reply to the debate regarding the no-confidence motion directed at the BJP-led NDA government on August 10. The motion was opened by Opposition parties of INDIA bloc and the debate is to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 8 and 9 in the lower house of the parliament, following which the PM will reply.

The BJP has called a meeting of its parliamentary party on Tuesday ahead of the no-confidence motion.

The numbers are comfortably stacked in favour of the government and the Opposition is expected to utilise the opportunity to demonstrate its newly firmed up unity to take on the Modi-led BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

The Monsoon session of Parliament has witnessed repeated disruptions over the issue of ethnic violence in Manipur and the Opposition insisting on a statement from the Prime Minister in the House.

Home Minister Amit Shah has told Parliament that he was ready to respond to any debate on Manipur, an offer the Opposition had rejected.

(With agencies inputs)