The Centre is trying to break the Parliament deadlock over the decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee calling up senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj to discuss the issue.
Pranab appealled to Sushma to allow normal functioning of Parliament but the BJP leader made it clear that the Opposition wanted a clear statement from the Government in Parliament on its stand on FDI in retail.
After the meeting sources told that the Opposition has conveyed to the Government that it was okay with the idea of putting FDI in retail on hold till a consensus was reached.
Senior BJP leader Yashwant said, "Government is now trying to build consensus. It should have consulted allies and Opposition before taking the decision.
Pranab Mukherjee also met CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
Yechury is understood to have told the Finance Minister that an all-party meeting be convened before the next sitting of Parliament on Wednesday during which the parties could be informed about the decision.
An announcement could then be made in Parliament, the sources said, adding that the all-party meeting could be held on Wednesday morning before the proceedings begin.
Mukherjee had last week told an all-party meeting, which had asked the government to reverse the FDI decision, that he would get back to them after he consulted the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet which had taken the decision.
Yechury is understood to have told Mukherjee on Monday that it would be in fitness of things that all political parties are informed about keeping the decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in retail in abeyance.
The opposition, however, is still firm on having a discussion in Parliament on major issues like price rise and blackmoney under rules which entail voting, the sources said.
Key United Progressive Alliance (UPA) constituent and West Bengal Trinamool Mamata Banerjee is the one who has spoken out so far on 'assurances' given by Pranab Mukherjee to her on deferring FDI in retail. BJP and JDU are asking for a total roll back of FDI in retail from the government or an adjournment motion.
As the government looks for a solution to the impasse on FDI, Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh continues to target the BJP.
"The BJP is trying to destabilise the UPA government by raising the issue of FDI in the retail sector as it was unable to forget its successive defeats in the 2004 and 2009 general elections," he said.
Singh has accused the BJP of adopting double standards on the issue as its own election manifesto in 2004 had advocated FDI in retail.
Pranab appealled to Sushma to allow normal functioning of Parliament but the BJP leader made it clear that the Opposition wanted a clear statement from the Government in Parliament on its stand on FDI in retail.
After the meeting sources told that the Opposition has conveyed to the Government that it was okay with the idea of putting FDI in retail on hold till a consensus was reached.
Senior BJP leader Yashwant said, "Government is now trying to build consensus. It should have consulted allies and Opposition before taking the decision.
Pranab Mukherjee also met CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
Yechury is understood to have told the Finance Minister that an all-party meeting be convened before the next sitting of Parliament on Wednesday during which the parties could be informed about the decision.
An announcement could then be made in Parliament, the sources said, adding that the all-party meeting could be held on Wednesday morning before the proceedings begin.
Mukherjee had last week told an all-party meeting, which had asked the government to reverse the FDI decision, that he would get back to them after he consulted the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet which had taken the decision.
Yechury is understood to have told Mukherjee on Monday that it would be in fitness of things that all political parties are informed about keeping the decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in retail in abeyance.
The opposition, however, is still firm on having a discussion in Parliament on major issues like price rise and blackmoney under rules which entail voting, the sources said.
Key United Progressive Alliance (UPA) constituent and West Bengal Trinamool Mamata Banerjee is the one who has spoken out so far on 'assurances' given by Pranab Mukherjee to her on deferring FDI in retail. BJP and JDU are asking for a total roll back of FDI in retail from the government or an adjournment motion.
As the government looks for a solution to the impasse on FDI, Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh continues to target the BJP.
"The BJP is trying to destabilise the UPA government by raising the issue of FDI in the retail sector as it was unable to forget its successive defeats in the 2004 and 2009 general elections," he said.
Singh has accused the BJP of adopting double standards on the issue as its own election manifesto in 2004 had advocated FDI in retail.
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