Retail FDI issue to rock Parliament next week

NEW DELHI: The issue of FDI in multi-brand retail will dominate Parliament next week with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha witnessing a trial of strength over the matter that has seen the Left and the Right making a common cause against the government.

The Rajya Sabha today decided to have a discussion on December 6 and 7 on the issue under a rule that entails voting, soon after the Lok Sabha which will have a similar discussion on December 4 and 5.

Key UPA supporter Samajwadi Party has sent mixed signals keeping everyone guessing on how it would vote on the issue next week.

"We will vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha if the government brings it there," SP leader in the Upper House Ramgopal Yadav has said.

However, hours later SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose party has 22 members in the Lok Sabha and 9 in Rajya Sabha, was not that forthright on the party's stand when he spoke to reporters in Lucknow.

Government remained unfazed with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath expressing confidence about the Congress-led coalition sailing through in Parliament on the issue.

"We will appeal to all political parties and the people who have supported us in our fight against government's FDI decision to oppose it in Parliament and outside Parliament in the interest of country," said CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.

"We have opposed the decision and we will oppose it in Parliament," Yechury added.

BJP is confident that the Left parties, NDA allies-JD(U), SAD and Shiv Sena, as well as AGP, TDP, AIADMK, INLD, TMC, BPF, JMM and a couple of Independent members will vote against the FDI decision.

Deputy Leader of BJP in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that Parliamentary accountability demands that if the government does not get a majority in either of the two Houses during the FDI debate and voting, then it should quash the executive decision on it.