Rahul Likely to Participate in No-confidence Motion Discussion in LS on Wednesday

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is likely to participate in the no-confidence motion discussion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

According to a party source, the former Congress president would most probably take part in the debate during the first hour of the debate, as he has to participate at a rally in Rajasthan, later in the day.

Congress sources said that Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to leave for Rajasthan on Wednesday afternoon to address a rally in the poll-bound state after participating in the discussion on the motion.

As the rally is scheduled for around 3 p.m., Gandhi is likely to participate in the no-confidence motion discussion during the initial part of the day, sources said.

The discussion is expected to continue till August 10 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to reply to the motion on the same day.

On Tuesday, Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi initiated the discussion after moving the motion, a move which surprised the treasury benches.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi was seen asking why Rahul Gandhi wasn't initiating the discussion as the Congress had conveyed to the Speaker in the morning about the former Congress president initiating the discussion.

Party sources had said that Gandhi's last minute withdrawal was part of a strategy, as it was decided that he would speak after some big leaders from the BJP had spoken.

Congress sources said that this decision was taken as part of a strategy of not exposing Gandhi to all the attacks, which he might have faced if he had spoken first.