New Delhi: After the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab won the trust vote in the assembly, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Operation Lotus was defeated in Punjab. The Punjab Assembly "unanimously" passed the confidence motion moved by him.
BJP's alleged attempt to topple the AAP government is being called Operation Lotus. AAP had earlier claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP to topple the government in exchange for Rs 25 crore.
The assembly discussed the confidence motion on Monday and Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan put it to vote. The Congress members walked out saying that they should be given time to speak and raise issues during the zero hour.
91 AAP MLAs supported the motion. One of the three SAD MLAs who were present in the House and a BSP MLA did not oppose the motion. The Speaker said the motion was unanimously passed as 93 MLAs supported it and no one opposed it.
BJP has been boycotting the session as they accuse the AAP government of violating the Constitution by bringing the confidence motion. The Congress also said no rule in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has allowed the ruling party to bring such a motion. Congress has 18 members in the 117-member Punjab Assembly.