Kolkata:
UPA government's troubleshooter and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is in Kolkata today for a possible meeting with key ally Mamata Banerjee to try and ensure the Trinamool Congress does not go against the government and UPA interests on the contentious issue of Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in retail.
Ms Banerjee, yesterday refused to support the move on FDI. She told the Prime Minister that her party cannot support the government's move on FDI. The West Bengal Chief Minister, who has 18 Lok Sabha MPs, said, "I don't want the government to be toppled on this issue. This is a very sensitive issue. But at the same time, it is not possible for us to support FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) entry into retail sector. I am sorry." Ms Banerjee said that she conveyed this on the phone to the PM and that she pointed out that her party's manifesto clearly articulates its stand against FDI.
The PM and other senior ministers have stressed that individual states can choose to adopt the new policy or ignore it. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma told NDTV that flexibility was included "in deference" to Ms Banerjee's point of view.
The Opposition is adamant about bringing in an adjournment motion in Parliament on the FDI issue. If Ms Banerjee's party, the Trinamool Congress, does not vote with the government, it could lose the crucial vote. If she abstains, the government will have a wafer-thin majority, leading to a serious loss of credibility.
The Opposition has refused to let Parliament function unless the government agrees to a debate and vote on its reforms in retail. After trying to negotiate the text of the adjournment motion that would be voted on, the government now seems to be leaning away from a vote. "It is an Executive decision. And it is enabling policy framework that does not require, even remotely, any legislative change or tweaking," said the Commerce Minister. "Parliament is supreme, but it's only when it comes to legislation... what the Cabinet has done is the prerogative of the Executive of the Government of the day."
The BJP wants to initiate a debate and vote in Parliament on the basis of a strongly-worded adjournment motion that categorically asks for a "rollback of the government's decision. This is not acceptable to the Congress. Nearly half this winter session of Parliament has been wasted without getting down to any work. Now, Parliament is adjourned till Wednesday, giving the Congress some time to work on its strategy.