Cong steers clear of SP's signals on vote on FDI in retail

The Congress on Thursday steered clear of questions on Samajwadi
Party's mixed signals on the issue of voting on FDI in retail in Parliament. Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath chose to ignore questions from the media on the issue while at the AICC briefing, party spokesman Rashid Alvi said Congres hopes that both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha the "majority" will support the stand taken by Congress on FDI.

"The SP is supporting the government from outside. You ask this question to Samajwadi Party.They will answer it,"" he said when asked whether SP was playing a double game by taking conflicting stands on the issue. A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the Congress could reiterate its support to the proposal to provide quota in promotion in government jobs to keep the BSP, which is keen for the passage of a Bill in this regard, happy.

The leader indicated that an effort will be made to bring the Bill for passage during the on-going Winter Session. "We and the BSP both support the Bill," the leader said, adding that even the SP understands that the Bill will sail through and its opposition aims at only sending a message to the voters. The Congress is hopeful the BSP will vote for the government on FDI in both the Houses if there is some movement on the quota in the promotion Bill.

Alvi expressed satisfaction over Lok Sabha functioning on Thursday after repeated disruptions for the last four days since the winter session began on November 22. In a veiled attack on BJP and Left parties, he said Parliament should run according to rules and while political parties can make suggestions and demands for discussion under certain rules, the decision has to come from the Chair.

"It is unfortunate that law-makers break the law in Parliament which is a seat to enact laws. We wanted the debate should take place. Under which rule it should take place is a decision that should be left to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman. Their decision has to be accepted by all," Alvi said.

He also rejected as "absolutely baseless" the BJP's criticism that the government was not interested in running Parliament and that it wasted four days of business adding "we were ready to accept from very beginning whatever rule decided by the Speaker for a discussion".