Did a phone call from Kolkata keep Adhir away from no trust debate, asks PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and wondered whether he was sidelined in the debate on the no-confidence motion due to a phone call from Kolkata.

Responding to the debate on no-confidence motion, Modi said the previous motions in 1999, 2003 and 2018 were led by the then opposition leaders – Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge respectively.

”But, what happened this time? Adhirbabu did not get that opportunity. He was fielded as a speaker only after (Home Minister) Amit Shah made a case for him,” the prime minister said.

”I don’t know what your compulsion is? Why was Adhirbabu sidelined? Was it because of a phone call from Kolkata,” Modi said in an apparent reference to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, a known detractor of Chowdhury.

Modi recalled that Chowdhury was temporarily removed as the leader on the pretext of elections in West Bengal.

The debate on the no-confidence motion was initiated by Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi.

On Wednesday, Shah had taken a dig at Chowdhury and offered time from the BJP’s quota for him to speak.