Government: 325, Opposition: 126; No Confidence Motion flattens

In Loksabha, a hug & a wink after an intense face-off

NEW DELHI: The no confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government was tonight decisively defeated after an acrimonious debate in the Lok Sabha, as the government got 325 out of a total 451 votes, scoring an overwhelming majority while only 126 MPs voted in favour of the motion.

The no-confidence motion was put to vote after a 12-hour heated debate which saw the political gamesmanship with government and opposition trading charges and a moment of drama when Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, after a blistering speech, walked up to the treasury benches to give a hug to Prime Minister Modi, who hit back saying he was in a hurry to unseat him and grab his chair.

A total of 325 MPs opposed while 126 MPs supported the no trust motion moved by the TDP, a former BJP ally, during the division. A total of 451 MPs were present and voted in the House and the majority mark required in a House with an effective strength of 534 MPs came down to 226.

The victory of the BJP-led NDA government was not unexpected but the intense debate gave an opportunity to the leaders of rival parties to set the agenda for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The no trust motion was the first after Modi assumed office in May 2014 and less than a year before the next general elections.

The result indicated that the parties not formally part of the BJP-led ruling coalition, the NDA, also voted in the government's favour.

Several AIADMK members opposed the motion that came as a boost to the NDA. The AIADMK has 37 MPs. "AIADMK supported government, voted against no-confidence motion," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.

The National Democratic Alliance(NDA) has 313 members including 274 (including the Speaker)of BJP, 18 of Shiv Sena which boycotted the voting, six of Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP and four from Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD).

The Biju Janata Dal (19) walked out of House earlier in the day to abstain from voting, while the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (14) walked out minutes before the voting on no-trust motion took place.

Soon after the government won the no-confidence motion, PM Modi said that the NDA has the confidence of 125 crore people.

"NDA has the confidence of the Lok Sabha and the 125 crore people of India. I thank all the parties that supported us in the vote today. Our efforts to transform India and fulfil the dreams of our youth will continue. Jai Hind!," he said in a tweet.