NCP: Don’t take decision alone

While they vociferously supported the 51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail in the Lok Sabha, the Nationalist Congress Party has cautioned the Congress from taking any unilateral decision on its implementation in Maharashtra. The NCP’s Maharashtra president has written a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan stating that the NCP should be consulted before implementing FDI in multi-brand retail. A letter signed by state NCP president Madhukar Pichad was delivered to Mr Chavan by former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday night. The NCP has insisted that there should be a comprehensive discussion on the various issues involved in FDI at the coordination committee meeting and the ruling parties should put up a coordinated stand to prevent apprehensions among the voters. The NCP has admitted that it is an attempt to consolidate its constituency comprising farmers, who are connected with the powerful cooperation sector, and also working class ahead of the next Assembly elections slated for 2014. “We have issues which need to be discussed and clarified. There are Mathadi labour unions, market committees,” Mr Pichad said.

*** PM confident of RS nod on FDI AGE CORRESPONDENT New Delhi, Dec. 6

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday sounded confident that the FDI decision will get the approval in Rajya Sabha, where a voting on the issue is scheduled on Friday. Mayawati-led BSP announced that it will support the government on the issue in the Upper House. “I am confident about Rajya Sabha,” Dr Singh replied when asked about the pending voting in Rajya Sabha on the Opposition’s motion against the government’s decision on FDI in multi-brand retail. The Congress and its allies had on Wednesday defeated the Opposition-backed motion over FDI in multi-brand retail in the Lok Sabha. The SP and BSP had staged a walkout ahead of the voting. The Opposition, however, has dismissed the government’s victory in Lok Sabha alleging that it misused enforcement agencies like the CBI to intimidate the SP and BSP and win votes in the Lower House.