“The UPA government has to continue at the Centre under these compelling circumstances,” DMK chief M. Karunanidhi said on Tuesday. Recalling the Centre’s assurance that FDI would not be thrust on the state governments, he said the assurance has given him the confidence that small traders and farmers in the state would not be put to hardship. Mr Karunanidhi later told reporters that four days of uproar in Parliament by the BJP and some other parties vehemently demanding a discussion on the issue under a rule that entails voting only showed their “ulterior motive” to bring about a change at the Centre at “any cost”. “Realising this, the DMK has taken the decision to back the UPA on this issue,” he said.
Mr Nath said the issue was discussed at the UPA meeting and he would meet the Speaker to convey the sense of Monday’s all-party meeting, and also of the UPA leaders.
However, sources said, the government has conveyed to the Lok Sabha that it does not favour voting on FDI in retail in the Lok Sabha, arguing that it would set the wrong precedent — that of voting on an executive decision of the government. At the same time, it has left the decision to the Speaker.
The Opposition BJP and Left parties continued to insist that the discussion on FDI should take place under rules that entail voting.
While in the Lok Sabha the government appears to be comfortably placed with the promise of support from the SP and BSP and the DMK’s open backing on Tuesday, the Trinamul Congress, with 19 MPs, has also been cold towards the Opposition’s demands for a vote on the issue. In the Rajya Sabha, the UPA may face some problems in case of a vote.