Lucknow: A week after the Samajwadi Party gave a notice of no confidence against Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi, Congress on February 14 gave a similar notice against him.

"Tripathi has failed to work in a fair and impartial manner and granted recognition to the breakaway group of Congress MLAs against the rules," Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tewari told reporters after giving the notice of no confidence against the Speaker to the Assembly Secretary.

"By recognising the breakaway group as a separate party, Tripathi has acted in a discriminatory manner and lowered the prestige and honour of the high office he holds," he alleged.

Congress has also appealed to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri to appoint a pro-tem speaker when the no confidence against Tripathi is taken up in the House to ensure free and fair debate and voting, Tewari said.

The party submitted a memorandum to the Governor in this regard on February 13, he said.

Samajwadi Party had, on February 7, given a notice of no confidence against the Speaker.

The next session of the state Assembly is scheduled to begin on February 28.

PTI