Bhubaneswar: The no-confidence motion against the Naveen Patnaik Ministry of Odisha, moved by the Congress will be taken up for discussion on February 12.
"The motion would be taken up after the Question Hour on February 12 under Rule 173 of Business of the Odisha Legislative Assembly", Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat said as soon as the question hour was over today.
Stating that he had received the notice regarding the no-confidence motion from Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan on February 3, the Speaker asked members to stand up if they wanted a debate over the matter.
As 21 Congress MLAs stood up, Amat announced the date of the discussion on the matter.
Though BJP members were present in the House, they did not stand up in support of the no-confidence notice.
BJP legislature party leader Jaynarayan Mishra had announced yesterday that they would participate in the debate.
BJP state president and MLA K V Singhdeo, however, said the party would oppose the BJD government in its own way and would not support the Congress's no-confidence motion.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das said the government was not afraid of the debate. "We have numbers in the House. Therefore, the opposition move cannot disturb the government."