Everybody loves a no-confidence motion: Government has the numbers, Opposition wants a debate

The monsoon session of the India Parliament has been enlivened by the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the government over its failure to respond to ethnic violence in the state of Manipur. No-confidence motions typically only have relevance when ruling coalitions are fragile. However, the motion is view by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi as an opportunity to raise the matter of Manipur in Parliament, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party regards it as a chance to expose the divisions in the disparate alliance of opposition parties.