Realising that government has mustered the numbers for the debate and voting on FDI in retail, BJP on Tuesday alleged the Manmohan Singh dispensation uses institutions to win the support of other parties and said division of votes will "expose" such organisations.
"We are ready for a discussion on FDI in retail only under Rule 184 (which entails voting). The country wants to know which party really supports or opposes FDI in retail. There were some parties which were earlier opposed to it but are now supporting FDI," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Government has reached out to its ally DMK and parties like SP and BSP to win their support on FDI in retail decision.
While DMK chief M Karunanidhi said his party will support the government in Parliament on FDI to keep communal forces at bay, SP and BSP have said it should be left to the Chair in both Houses to decide under what clause the debate should be held.
"Government has intruments which it uses to change negative into positive... We want to expose such parties which have changed their stand," Hussain said. BJP has often accused the government of using CBI to win the support of SP and BSP. SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati are facing charges of graft which are being probed by CBI.
Hussain took jibes at the government, saying it had these "instruments" all along and could have used them to manage its numbers and save four days which have gone waste in the winter session of Parliament.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today the government has the numbers for the FDI debate and voting. Government has called a meeting of UPA constituents to discuss its floor strategy in Parliament on the FDI issue.
"PM has now said we have the numbers. Does this mean the government did not have the numbers till now," Hussain said, adding Singh's claim will be tested in Parliament during the FDI debate and voting.
Interestingly, BJP claimed TMC, which has said it is not concerned under which clause the debate on FDI is held, will also vote against the government decision.
BJP made it clear that it will be difficult to run Parliament till government agrees to a discussion on FDI in retail under rules that entail voting.