Don't take us for a ride on FDI in Maharashtra: NCP to Congress

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may be supporting the Union government’s decision to open multi-brand retail for foreign investment, but the Sharad Pawar-led party wants a “comprehensive discussion” on the pros and cons of the policy before it’s implemented in Maharashtra.

NCP, an ally of the Congress party both at the Central and and state levels, has demanded a comprehensive discussion on the Centre’s retail policy at the coordination committee of both parties. It has also asked the Congress-led state government to remove apprehensions of the people.

NCP leaders say the party’s position in this regard is in line with its strategy to consolidate its base comprising farmers and working class ahead of the next assembly elections slated for 2014.

“As per the Centre’s move, the implementation of FDI in multi-brand retail has been left to states and it won’t be imposed on them. There is a coalition government in Maharashtra and we want the issue to be debated at length at the coordination committee,” state NCP chief Madhukar Pichad told Business Standard.

“The chief minister needs to clarify what will be its impact on farmers, especially on the price they are getting for agricultural produce,” he said, adding his party would also like to know what would be the fate of employment once the retail FDI policy was implemented.

Pichad reiterated that the Congress alone could not take a decision on implementation of FDI in multi-brand retail in the state. He has already sent a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding an immediate meeting of the coordination committee.

However, state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre played down NCP’s move. “Already, NCP chief Pawar has announced that FDI in multi-brand retail will benefit farmers. There is nothing wrong in NCP’s demand for a debate at the coordination committee. I am quite optimistic that issues being raised by NCP will be addressed,” he said.

NCP’s move comes at a time when the party’s several ministers, including former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, are under attack for their alleged involvement in various corruption cases.

The issue was also raised by Ajit Pawar during his meeting with Chavan on Wednesday night. The timing is also crucial as the opposition Shiv Sena has decided to bring in a no-confidence motion against the Congress-NCP alliance government over allegations such as corruption and deteriorating financial position of the state.

In the 288-member state assembly, the Congress has 82 members while NCP’s strength is 62, followed by BJP’s 47 and Shiv Sena’s 46. Twenty-two independents are supporting the Congress-NCP alliance government.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena has said foreign retail giants such as Wal Marts would be stopped at the Gateway of India and the party would strongly oppose any move by the Maharashtra government to implement FDI in multi-brand retail.