Mamata won over, govt now focuses on Oppn

After having appeased ally Mamata Banerjee by pausing the 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, the government began its efforts to save the winter session of Parliament on Monday by reaching out to the Opposition, which is insisting on a complete rollback of the decision. HT reports. House warming| Cong still hopeful of a breakthrough | Not holdback, want rollback: Oppn

After having appeased ally Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress by pausing the 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, the government began its efforts to save the winter session of Parliament on Monday by reaching out to the Opposition, which is insisting on a complete rollback of the decision.

HT Image

Since this session has already seen nearly two weeks of inaction and turmoil, the government is keen on getting back to business with 31 legislations when the two Houses reconvene on Wednesday after Muharram.

UPA crisis managers are also preparing to face a possible adjournment motion if the Opposition refuses to accept the hold-back decision. The Congress has issued a three-line whip to its Lok Sabha members, asking them to be present in the House on December 7 and 8.

Government sources said if the Opposition parties came on board, the government would formally inform Parliament about holding back its FDI
policy. But it may also mention —in defence of the policy — how the decision was taken after providing for enough safeguards.

The government’s move to press the pause button on FDI was first made public by Banerjee on Saturday after a telephonic conversation with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Earlier, UPA allies TMC and DMK openly opposed the decision while the NCP suggested that the government should go by the sense of the House.

On Monday, Mukherjee told BJP’s LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury that the government would put the policy on hold while urging them to let Parliament function.

Both Swaraj and Yechury suggested that the government convene an all-party meeting to convey its decision and then inform Parliament.

The government has convened an all-party meeting at 9.30am on Wednesday to be chaired by Mukherjee, who had promised in the last meeting that the government would get back to keep everybody posted.

The union cabinet will meet on Wednesday evening to formally take the decision of not implementing the FDI policy.

The government has convened an all-party meeting at 9.30am on Wednesday.