The regional parliament of northeastern Catalonia approved a plan Monday to set up road map for independence from Spain by 2017, in defiance of the central government.<br />The Barcelona-based chamber passed the motion by 72 votes to 63.<br />The proposal was tabled by pro-secession lawmakers from the "Together for Yes" alliance and the extreme left-wing Popular Unity Candidacy .<br />The groups together obtained a parliamentary majority in regional elections in September.<br />Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has previously vowed to take legal action against the Catalan parliament if it was to approve the secession plan.<br />Rajoy was scheduled to speak later Monday.
