Rahul Gandhi vs PM Modi: Why the Congress MP didn’t initiate the no-confidence motion

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Tuesday (8 August) saw the Opposition bloc, INDIA, bringing a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in Parliament over the handling of the Manipur violence – which has now been burning for the last three months.

As the Congress’ first speaker on the motion got up to put forth his points in the Lok Sabha, a huge row broke out over the last minute change. This is because it was initially reported that Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, who was only on Monday reinstated as an MP, would lead the charge. However, on Tuesday, Gaurav Gogoi initiated the debate.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) immediately took this as an opportunity to attack Rahul with Nishikant Dubey even saying, “Perhaps he was not prepared, he may have woken up late.”

But, why the last minute pullback? Is Congress saving Rahul for the final shot?

Rahul out, Gogoi in

On Tuesday, the Lower House of Parliament was taken by surprise when Rahul Gandhi declined to initiate the discussion on the no-confidence motion at the last minute. Hours before the session began, several media reports had stated that Rahul would open the debate and many Congress members believed that he would steal the show on day one.

But minutes before the debate was to start, Gandhi told the party’s floor managers that he would not like to initiate the debate. It was then conveyed to Speaker Om Birla that Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi, who gave the notice for the no-confidence motion, would initiate the debate.

The sudden change in the order even took the Treasury Benches by surprise and they used it as an opportunity to mock and taunt Rahul.

Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi speaks during a debate on no-confidence motion, during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Tuesday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asked why Gandhi’s name as lead speaker was withdrawn at the last minute. “What happened sir, we are eager to listen to Rahul Gandhi,” Joshi said, adding that he was aware that a letter was delivered to the office of the Lok Sabha secretary general about Gandhi being the lead speaker.

Joshi said the letter was delivered at 11:55 am and the House was eager to know “what changed in five minutes” that Gogoi was named the lead speaker.

An unhappy Gogoi then shot back, saying does the Opposition asks what happens in meetings between the prime minister and the Speaker. This infuriated the Treasury Benches with Home Minister Amit Shah stating that Gogoi was levelling a serious allegation and should come clean on the issue.

At that point, Gogoi said he was trying to say what transpires in the chamber of the Speaker should not be spoken of outside.

The Assam MP then initiated the discussion, saying: This is our ‘majboori’ (compulsion) to bring the no-confidence motion. It was not about numbers but for the people of Manipur and for justice for Manipur.”

He further added, “Why did he (Prime Minister Modi) take about 80 days to speak on Manipur and (he) just spoke for 30 seconds. After that there has been no peace appeal on Manipur from him. Ministers are saying they will speak, but as prime minister, the power of his words cannot be matched by ministers,” Gogoi said.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey debates on no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. PTI

Reasons for the shakeup

But what led to this decision to not field Rahul as the first Speaker? While the reason may only be known to the former Congress chief, others in his party as well as political pundits had their own reasoning.

One Congress MP told the Indian Express, “He perhaps felt Gogoi should initiate the debate as he is from the Northeast and he had visited Manipur. Besides, he is the person who had given the notice and he was always going to open the discussion. Rahul’s return to the Lok Sabha came only yesterday.”

Also read: No-confidence motion: Why did Opposition disrupt Lok Sabha over Sansad TV tickers?

Another from the party said that maybe they wanted to one-up the BJP and surprise them. “We knew the government would get to know and the Treasury Benches would be out in full force to derail him. When we decided at the last minute that Gogoi will initiate the debate… they were taken aback,” said the MP, citing it as a tactical decision.

Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai was quoted by India Today as saying that at the Congress Parliamentary meet, it was in fact party chief Mallikarjun Kharge who suggested that Rahul shouldn’t go first and should be seen in a way challenging Prime Minister Modi and for that to happen he would have to wait. The journalist added that it was now expected that Rahul might speak either just before Modi’s reply to the debate, scheduled for 10 August, or after a substantial period of discussion takes place.

“It’s a tactical, strategic decision taken by the Congress. There’s also the belief that if you speak right before the PM, it positions you as the principal opposition to him,” said Sardesai.

Others also believe that the Congress was thinking tactically and seeing which of their leaders were speaking when and then deciding their strategy. For instance, BJP’s Godda MP Nishikant Dubey has a muddy history with the Gandhis and hence, the Congress opted to keep out Rahul on Day 1 of the debate.

Schedule for today

So, when will Rahul actually speak? There is no clarity yet on when the Congress leader will be speaking – many are reporting that he may take the mic today, but a look at his published schedule shows him addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara. The rally will mark the beginning of the party’s campaign for the state Assembly polls due later this year.

If Rahul does not speak on Wednesday, it will lead to a face-off between Rahul and Modi on Thursday, a repeat of the no-confidence motion on 20 July 2018, when Rahul spoke during the day before Modi’s reply late evening.

On the other hand, it has been reported that Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to speak on the debate today. The list of MPs from the BJP to speak on the debate includes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Smriti Irani among the others.

With inputs from agencies



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