• Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann tables confidence motion in state Assembly

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will on Tuesday bring a confidence motion in the state assembly, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Sunday gave his nod to convene the House on September 27 after days of squabble between the Raj Bhavan and AAP government over holding a session of the state assembly.

After the speaker's announcement, the two BJP MLAs -- Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan -- walked out of the House.

Sandhwan also said the Business Advisory Committee of the House has decided to extend the duration of the session till October 3 as against the earlier tentative schedule of one day.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly complex, minister Aman Arora said the chief minister will move a confidence motion in the House.

The AAP government enjoys brute majority with 92 MLAs in the 117-member House, but the BJP and its government at the Centre made attempts to topple the government in the state, he alleged.

"So, it is our duty that three crore people of Punjab are told there is no danger to the mandate they have given us," said Arora.

The AAP government in Punjab had earlier sought the special session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion, days after it accused the BJP of trying to topple its government.

The AAP had recently claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each of them in a bid to topple the six-month-old government under its 'Operation Lotus.'

Purohit had approved the state government's request to convene the House on September 27 after it informed him that issues like stubble burning, Goods and Services Tax and power supply will be taken up during the one-day session of the assembly.

Purohit had on September 21 withdrew permission to hold a special assembly session on September 22 when the AAP government wanted to bring a "confidence motion only".