UPA speaks with forked tongue

UPA speaks with forked tongue

The Government gave conflicting signals on Monday on accepting the demand by NDA and Left parties for voting on FDI in multi-brand retail debate even as the all-party meeting convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath failed to throw up any solution to end the Parliament impasse.

Bolstered by tacit support from the SP and the BSP and Trinamool Congress’ cold attitude towards the rest of the Opposition, UPA leaders will be meeting here on Tuesday to firm up the Government’s strategy. The DMK, which has opposed FDI in retail, had demanded a UPA meeting on the issue.

While at the all-party meet Government tried to convince the Opposition that its executive decision could not be debated under voting provision, Nath later told a TV channel that the Government may finally agree to a division on the issue.

“I am not averse to a vote on FDI but I don’t believe it sets a healthy precedent,” Nath told the TV channel, adding, “If we cannot convince the Opposition, we will consider a vote on FDI (debate).”

It was obvious that the Government wanted to avoid a vote on the motion in view of the public position taken by SP and DMK on FDI in retail. The two parties would ideally like to oppose the motion, but not like to rock the UPA boat either. 

However, the Centre may have to rethink its strategy if insistence by NDA and Left on voting posed the threat of another parliamentary session being washed out. In addition to these two formations, AIADMK, TDP and JD(S) have also pressed for voting on the motion.

At the all-party meet, SP, BSP, TMC and BJD suggested that the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman may be left to take the call on FDI debate motion. But NDA and Left refused to back down.

Rejecting Nath’s appeal to reconsider their voting demand Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said, “We made it clear that a vote related discussion is all that we will accept. No compromise at all.”

Asked if the BJP would not allow Parliament to function, she replied, “no compromise at all... When I said no compromise, it means something.”

While much of these developments were on expected line, the stand taken by the BJD and Trinamool was surprising since till the other day they were pressing for a non-confidence motion to topple the Government on the FDI issue.

Signals about relief to the Congress came early in the morning when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ahead of the all- party meeting. Though, Yadav did not attend the meet, sources claim he agreed to suggestion that the matter  of a vote   be left to  the Speaker.

Similar was the response from BSP chief Mayawati, who said, “We should leave it to the Chair in both Houses to decide under which rule discussion on FDI should be held.”

The UPA had extended an olive branch to her on Monday by listing in Rajya Sabha the bill seeking to provide quote in promotion to SC and ST employees.

BJD’s B Mahtab said his party wanted a discussion on FDI in multi-brand retail to take place, irrespective of the rule. Trinamool Congress’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay said Speaker should decide ‘how the House should run’. The DMK reiterated its concern over FDI but remains vague on debate with voting.

Insisting that the Trinamool is “totally against” introduction of FDI in retail and capping of subsidised LPG cylinders at six per year, Bandyopadhyay said, “Let the Opposition bring another no confidence motion. We will support them. We had given them the golden opportunity of no- confidence motion and not just (rule) 184 or 193.” Rule 184 entails voting while Rule 193 does not.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee and Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had a spat inside the Lok Sabha. The incident occurred when Banerjee, who was part of his party MPs’ team which was raising slogans in the well on the FDI issue, was returning to his seat after the House adjourned for the day shortly after noon.

Describing the meeting as “very useful”, Nath said, “All political parties have given their views that House must run. Political parties are unanimous that the House should run.”

On the differences of opinions at the meeting, he said, “Some political parties expressed their opinions that they want discussion with voting. Many others have said they want discussion and do not matter under which rule. It should be left to Presiding Officers of both Houses.”

Asked whether the Government is shying away from voting, Nath replied in negative. “We are not shying away from the vote but we have to respect the feeling of other political parties also,” he said

The sharp difference in opinion among the parties, however, promises to keep the Government on its toes. There is no sign to suggest that that Parliament would function without the Government reaching a compromise with the NDA and Left. The Government is likely to spell out its stand on demands for a vote after the UPA meet on Tuesday.