Eager to put the government on the mat over FDI in multi-brand retail, the Opposition is actively recalibrating its strategy for the upcoming Winter session of Parliament. The four Left parties have already moved a notice under Rule 184 for a motion, which entails voting after a discussion. Nonetheless, the Left parties will again be meeting in the capital tomorrow, to work out an alternate strategy just in case the motion is not admitted by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The BJP meanwhile, has also moved a notice under Rule 184 seeking a discussion on FDI in retail followed by voting.
This rethink on the part of the Left parties has been prompted by several senior leaders within the Left parties who have urged that an alternate plan be also mooted, to corner the UPA just in case the 184 motion is not admitted in Parliament.
A senior leader who did not want to be quoted questioned, “Why should we bank on this motion alone. What happens if it is not admitted, should we not also move a notice for having a short duration discussion under Rule 193 as well. (Rule 193 does not entail any voting.) Then we can still force the government to have a discussion on FDI in multi- brand retail.”
CPI(M) parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha Basudeb Acharia, speaking to Business Standard said, “We have already put in a notice to move a motion in the house titled ‘The house disapproves the decision of the government to allow FDI in multi-brand retail.’ But we (Left parties) will be meeting again tomorrow to further strategise what to do, plan out alternate strategies just in case the motion under Rule 184 is not admitted.”
The principal Opposition party BJP has declared that it will support notices given by members of Left parties, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and also by members of the main opposition party to corner the UPA.”
A senior BJP leader said, “We have given several notices under rule 183 and 184 which will allow voting. We support the notices of Left parties and other political parties as well”.
BJP leaders are even willing to support the no confidence motion if West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee decides to bring it. “To bring a no confidence motion, Mamata Banerjee will need at least 50 MPs to bring a no confidence motion but Trinamool has only 19 MPs. We have to see how Trinamool will bring a no confidence motion and which political parties that will support Mamata Banerjee. BJP could support Trinamool,” said a senior BJP leader.
Senior BJP leaders believe that they would be able to put greater pressure on the UPA if there is a discussion and voting on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail rather than bringing a no confidence motion which will eventually bring Samajwadi Party, BSP and even the Left together to side with the UPA and enable the ruling coalition to easily prove its majority in the house.
“The BJP parliamentary board will meet on November 20 under the chairmanship of L K Advani in Delhi to fine tune its strategy as to how to derail FDI in retail in Parliament during its winter session,” said M Venkaiah Naidu, senior BJP leader leader. At the same time, the BJP will be talking to leaders of all Opposition parties after the meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is expected to be on November 21.
The BJP leadership today announced that it will also be holding a ‘halla bol’ rally on November 21, a day before the winter session of Parliament; where senior party leaders will be spread across the country in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Itanagar, targeting the UPA government on issues ranging from increase in fuel prices to FDI in retail.
