PM meets allies, FDI impasse continues
December 1st, 2011 - 3:30 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday met the government’s allies to discuss the issue of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, as parliament was stalled yet again on the issue.
In a tight spot over the FDI decision as key allies, including DMK, Trinamool Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have spoken against it, he met partners in the Congress-led ruling United Progressive Alliance to try to iron out differences.
The meeting, held at the prime minister’s residence, was attended by Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference (NC), Sudeep Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress, T.R. Baalu of the DMK and E. Ahamed of the IUML, as also Commerce Minister Anand Sharma of the Congress.
While sources say the Trinamool Congress is to abstain from voting if a motion on FDI in retail comes in parliament, the DMK is still keeping its cards close to its chest.
Talking to reporters outside parliament later, Trinamool Congress leader and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi told reporters his party continues to be against FDI.
“We want what is good for the country, we talk about ‘aam admi’ (common man). It is just that what is good for India may not be good for other parts of the world, and what may be good for other parts may not be good for India,” he said.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, stuck to their guns against FDI in retail. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made it clear it would not compromise on the text of the adjournment motion, the Left said the government was not serious about running parliament.
“We will not compromise on the text of the adjournment motion at all,” BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters outside parliament.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury said the government was not interested in correcting its mistake.
“They took a decision in the cabinet when parliament was in session, that is against the propriety of parliament. Once having done that, they came, took our opinion, they said they will come back, as far as we are concerned they did not come to us. It shows the government is not serious,” Yechury said.
- FDI: Government mobilising numbers, may opt for parliament vote (Lead) - Dec 01, 2011
- Parliament logjam: Government may agree to adjournment motion - Nov 29, 2011
- Roll back FDI decision or get parliament nod, demands BJP - Nov 29, 2011
- Happy that government relented on retail FDI: Yechury - Dec 07, 2011
- FDI war: Deadlock deepens, BJP rejects Congress truce offer (Intro Roundup) - Nov 30, 2011
- FDI: Government mobilising numbers for adjournment motion, talks to allies (Roundup) - Dec 01, 2011
- FDI deadlock deepens, Advani rejects Pranab's offer - Nov 30, 2011
- FDI war: BJP refuses to budge, Congress backs government (Second Intro Roundup) - Dec 01, 2011
- Heat on FDI grows, government calls all-party meeting - Dec 05, 2011
- Congress core group discusses parliament stalemate over FDI - Dec 03, 2011
- PM speaks to Trinamool, DMK on FDI (Lead) - Nov 30, 2011
- Rollback FDI in retail to let parliament run: BJP - Nov 28, 2011
- All-party meeting called to end parliament stalemate - Dec 06, 2011
- FDI roll back unlikely at all-party meeting - Nov 28, 2011
- Trinamool demands rollback of FDI in retail - Nov 28, 2011
Tags: adjournment motion, ahamed, anand sharma, bandyopadhyay, bharatiya janata party, bjp leader, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, congress leader, manmohan singh, marxist leader, muslim league, opposition parties, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, progressive alliance, railway minister, rajiv pratap, sitaram yechury, trinamool congress