NEW DELHI: The government-Opposition stand-off in the Lok Sabha reached the flashpoint on Monday morning, when Speaker Sumitra Mahajan named and suspended 25 Congress MPs for the next five working days from the House for protesting with placards in the Well of the House. The decision triggered a larger Opposition unity with around nine Opposition parties announcing their decision to boycott the Lok Sabha proceedings for the next five days in protest against the suspension of Congress MPs.This could leave the government and the chair with a bigger headche from Tuesday as these Opposition parties want the Speaker to revoke the suspension of Congress’ 25 MPs. The leaders of these Opposition parties including Sonia Gandhi could stage a dharna outside Parliament on Tuesday, sources indicated. The event is expected to add to the Opposition fire power in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, giving little scope for ending the logjam.The Speaker took the decision on suspension by invoking Rule 374(A), the first such instance in the 16th Lok Sabha, by saying the 25 named Congress MPs were “persistently and wilfully obstructing the House by displaying placards and shouting slogans in the well despite many warning by her not to do so. This leaves Congress with just 19 more members out of suspension, including the two Gandhis.According to experts, Rule 374(A) states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in rules 373 and 374, in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a member coming into the well of the House or abusing the rules of the House persistently and willfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans or otherwise, such member shall, on being named by the Speaker, stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the session, whichever is less.”As the Speaker announced the decision, the rest of the Congress MPs, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi along with some other Opposition parties were seen disproving it. Just before the Speaker’s formal announcement, TMC floor leader Sudhip Bandhopadhya and CPM’s P Karunakaran made it a point to put their parties’ opposition to such “harsh action,” by recalling similar protests had taken place in the House earlier as well.