Ahead of the debate on the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha on Friday, July 20, 2018, trouble seems to be brewing in the Telugu Desam Party with one of its lawmakers announcing that he would not attend the House proceedings.
Anantapuramu MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy, who did not attend Parliament on Wednesday, said he would continue to stay away when the no-trust motion moved by the TDP is taken up for discussion, and also during the entire Monsoon session.
The party has issued a whip directing all its MPs to attend Parliament on Friday and Monday.
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Mr. Reddy said it doesn’t matter even if a whip was issued.
“This is just a routine. The government is not going to fall anyway. And I cannot speak English or Hindi. So my presence or absence doesn’t matter,” he told reporters in Anantapuramu said on Wednesday night.
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“There are others who are well-versed in English and can speak well,” he added.
The MP, known for his outspoken attitude, is said to be sulking over the party leadership’s non-committal stance over allocation of ticket for the next election from Anantapuramu.
Mr. Reddy had previously announced he would retire from electoral politics.
The TDP is facing internal trouble with a member of Rajya Sabha as well, but it may not affect the no-confidence vote.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is expected to speak to Reddy when he holds the daily teleconference with party leaders today.