Twenty-three members of the Himachal Assembly, on Wednesday, moved a No-Confidence Motion against the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in the state on the first day of the monsoon session after obituary references.

Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar accepted the Opposition Congress’ trust move against the council of ministers. The motion was moved in the House by 22 members of Congress and a lone CPI (M) member accusing the state government of failure on all fronts.

After a heated exchange between members of the Opposition and treasury benches including Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the Speaker accepted the notice moved by the Congress and the CPI (M) under rule 278.

Allowing the members to participate in the discussion on ‘No Confidence Motion’, the speaker announced that the entire business schedule for Thursday stands suspended.

“The House would assemble at 11 am tomorrow and discussion on the No Confidence Motion would be held till 3.00 pm, after which the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will give reply on the motion,” said Parmar.

He urged the members of both the ruling and Opposition parties to submit names to him so that he could allow them to speak in the House.

Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihorti and other members of the Congress hailed the speaker’s decision to accept their motion. They demanded that all the 23 members be given time to speak on the motion moved by them.

Congress members Ram Lal Thakur and Asha Kumari also urged the speaker to give adequate time so that all the 23 members and the members of the ruling BJP be allowed to partake in the discussion.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said, “Our government is not shying away from the motion, it is ready to discuss it. Our government is in majority and strong.”

He accused the Opposition Congress of having four working presidents. With a divided house they have no single leader to lead the party, he alleged.

He blamed the Opposition for disrupting the smooth functioning of the House.

Amid war of words, the Opposition, after the obituary references, stalled the business of the House and insisted on allowing the trust motion under Rule 278.

The speaker had to adjourn the House for 15 minutes and as the House assembled again, the Speaker acceded to the demand of the Opposition as it fulfilled the required number of head count of one-third of the House.