BJP likely to seek special Parliament session on FDI

The Bharatiya Janata Party may demand a special session of Parliament on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, reports HT.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may demand a special session of Parliament on foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

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To take a decision in this regard, the party will hold a meeting with National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies after Thursday’s Bharat Bandh.

The idea, sources say, is to ensure the Opposition’s pressure on the government in view of the wide protests against FDI in retail and isolate the government in Parliament.

If parties like Samajwadi Party — which is opposing the government's move — end up changing their stand in Parliament, BJP leaders say, they will get exposed.

Senior BJP leader LK Advani has told agencies that the party can press for a resolution against FDI in retail in Parliament as it was in Parliament that the government had said the reform would not be introduced without consulting stakeholders like chief ministers and political parties.

“Our leader LK Advani has said we can demand a special session of Parliament on the issue,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said. “We in the NDA will decide whether to convene a special session of Parliament… We will take a decision at the NDA meeting, which will be held, after Thursday’s Bharat Bandh.”

BJP leaders will address dharnas across the country during the bandh called by NDA, Left, Samajwadi Party, BSP, TDP and DMK.

The BJP is seeing the multi-party support to the bandh as a sign of the isolation of the UPA on the reforms and is trying to raise the political pitch in a calibrated manner.