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TMC relents on FDI voting

26 November 2012

Govt breathes easy as BSP, Trinamul leave decision to Speaker, Chairman

statesman news service

NEW DELHI, 26 NOV: The Trinamul Congress, which only last week moved a no-confidence motion over the FDI issue, sprang a surprise today by not insisting on voting in Parliament on the issue and rather said the Chair should decide the rule under which discussion could take place. However, Trinamul denies that there is “any change of heart” on the issue.

The party stand was articulated at the all-party meeting today convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath. The Trinamul floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Mr Sudip Bandyopadhyay spoke on behalf of the party at the meeting.

After Mr Bandyopadhyay spoke, the BSP also backed him and said the Chairs in both the Houses should decide whether the debate can be held under rules(s) that entail voting.

In fact, the sheer bitterness between the Congress and the Trinamul Congress came to the fore today on the floor of the Lok Sabha when TMC chief whip Kalyan Banerjee clashed with Commerce Minister Anand Sharma.

Trinamul sources alleged that during the interruptions in the Lok Sabha, Mr Sharma told Mr Banerjee that “investments were not coming in West Bengal” due to Trinamul leaders to which the Serampore MP is reported to have used an ‘unparliamentary’ word. The charge has, however, been denied by the Trinamul lawmaker.  Immediately after the government announced opening the big super market in retail in the country in September, the 19-member Trinamul Congress staged a walkout from the ruling UPA coalition.

The stand taken by the Trinamul Congress along with the Samajwadi Party and the BSP has undoubtedly come as a big relief to the floor managers for the government. Later, Trinamul leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay told reporters that his party too wanted voting and wanted to corner the government on FDI. This is why, he said a no trust motion was moved on 22 November. It was for lack of numbers that the motion fell through.

Although the Trinamul stance today has taken albeit its friends and foes, including the Congress, by surprise, party sources clarified that “essentially we are not saying something dramatic as is being made out to be”. “The final decision under which rule the debate will be held can be decided only by the Chair after enlisting opinion of the parties and the government.”  

Spectrum debate: The DMK today gave notice for a discussion in the House on the issue of a CAG report on 2G spectrum in the wake of former auditor Mr R P Singh’s claims. “The DMK has given notice under Rule 193 to discuss the revelations made by RP Singh. We want to have a thorough discussion,” DMK leader TR Baalu said today. The notice follows the Centre’s willingness to allow a discussion.

All-party talks fail for lack of consensus

NEW DELHI, 26 NOV: An all-party meeting today failed to resolve the impasse due to lack of consensus among the Opposition and other anti-FDI-retail parties over the demand for a discussion on the issue in Parliament under rules that entail voting. While the NDA,  Left,  AIADMK, BJD, TDP and the JD-S insisted on a discussion on FDI-retail under voting-laced rules ~ something that the government has been opposing, the government’s supporting parties the SP and the BSP held that they will be fine with a discussion on FDI-retail under any rules decided by the Chair of the two Houses. sns