Opposition brought no-confidence motion to test its own unity: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the opposition brought the no-confidence motion against his government to test the confidence of its own alliance members in each other as the I.N.D.I.A bloc is marked by distrust among its constituents.

In his address to BJP MPs at a closed-door meeting of its parliamentary party, he described the opposition alliance as 'ghamandia' (marked by arrogance) and congratulated the party's Rajya Sabha members for the 'semi-final' win in voting on the Delhi services bill, some of those present inside said.

Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal quoted Modi as saying that the opposition brought the no-confidence motion despite the fact that the government enjoyed a strong majority as its members wanted to see if they were united or not.

Even in the voting on the Delhi services bill in Rajya Sabha, the government got more votes than expected as the debate showed that its bill was guided by the Constitution, the prime minister said.

Modi, sources said, noted that some opposition members had described the voting in Rajya Sabha as a semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as he exuded confidence about the BJP's prospects in the national elections.

The Delhi services bill secured parliamentary approval on Monday after the Rajya Sabha passed it with the support of 131 MPs while 101 of them voted against the legislation that will give the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital.

Exuding confidence about his return to power following next year's general elections, Modi told MPs that they will not have to push for railway ministry-related works during his third term after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a presentation, indicating that the ongoing development projects will take care of their demands.

The Modi government is now in its second term, with opposition parties forming the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) to prevent the ruling BJP-led NDA from coming to power for a third term under him.

With the ruling party certain to defeat the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha, where it enjoys a strong majority, Modi told party MPs to hit 'sixers' on the last ball before the 2024 polls.

He also referred to his 2018 speech in which he had wryly wished the opposition to bring a no-confidence motion against his government in 2023.

In a swipe at opposition parties, the prime minister said their leaders speak of social justice but harmed it the most with their dynastic, appeasement and corrupt politics.

He reiterated his call for corruption, and dynastic and appeasement politics to quit India.

Meghwal told reporters that the prime minister asked MPs to join the party's programme on August 9 on the call for nepotism, corruption and appeasement to quit India.

He asked them to organise events to mark the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day and also to take out silent marches to highlight the pain and tragedy of India's partition. Other programmes that Modi spoke about was 'Har Ghar Tiranga' in the run-up to the Independence Day.

Party leaders were also asked by Modi to reach out to households for taking pledge to do their bit to make India a developed country by 2047. People will take collective pledge at different levels, including districts and states, Meghwal said.

A 'amrit kalash yatra' will also be organised as part of the effort under which over 8,500 urns having soil or grain besides saplings will be brought to Delhi for raising an 'amrit vatika' (garden), he said, adding that the exercise is expected to continue till Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary on October 31.