New Delhi: With the Trinamool Congress deciding to quit the
United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sees
an opportunity to corner the ruling coalition and is planning to demand
a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue of Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in retail but its key ally Janata Dal (United) is not
in favour of this move.
The BJP says it feels the government will not last its full term till 2014 if the Trinamool Congress goes ahead with its decision to exit the UPA.
Senior party leader L K Advani said his party would like a special session to be convened to discuss this issue, holding that the government has committed a "breach of trust" of Parliament.
The party, however, said it will consult its allies of National
Democratic Alliance (NDA) after tomorrow's nationwide agitation against
FDI in retail and diesel price hike before firming up its position.
"Yesterday's development has destabilised the present government. It is only a matter of time that it will collapse. The present government cannot last its full term till 2014. Anything can happen before that," Mr Advani told Press Trust of India.
He said since the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had promised in both houses of Parliament that the decision on FDI in retail would not be taken before evolving a consensus with all stakeholders, the government had committed a "breach of trust of Parliament".
"The promise had been made to both houses of Parliament by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that we will not bring FDI in retail until a consensus is evolved with all stakeholders including all political parties and all Chief Ministers. Therefore, we hold that the announcement of FDI in retail is a breach of trust of Parliament," Mr Advani said.
He said "therefore, we would request for convening of a special session of Parliament. We will make a formal request to the President for the special session after the September 20 nation-wide bandh called by us."
Asked whether there is a need for convening a special session of Parliament, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said there is "no need" for it as it will not solve any problem.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said "our leader L K Advani has said that we can demand a special session of Parliament on the issue as the Prime Minister had promised on the floor of the House that this is an era of federalism and if we bring FDI in retail, we will try and build a consensus before".
"We in NDA will decide on whether to convene a special session of Parliament... We will decide at the NDA meeting after tomorrow's nationwide bandh," he said.
The BJP says it feels the government will not last its full term till 2014 if the Trinamool Congress goes ahead with its decision to exit the UPA.
Senior party leader L K Advani said his party would like a special session to be convened to discuss this issue, holding that the government has committed a "breach of trust" of Parliament.
The party, however, said it will consult its allies of National
Democratic Alliance (NDA) after tomorrow's nationwide agitation against
FDI in retail and diesel price hike before firming up its position."Yesterday's development has destabilised the present government. It is only a matter of time that it will collapse. The present government cannot last its full term till 2014. Anything can happen before that," Mr Advani told Press Trust of India.
He said since the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had promised in both houses of Parliament that the decision on FDI in retail would not be taken before evolving a consensus with all stakeholders, the government had committed a "breach of trust of Parliament".
"The promise had been made to both houses of Parliament by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that we will not bring FDI in retail until a consensus is evolved with all stakeholders including all political parties and all Chief Ministers. Therefore, we hold that the announcement of FDI in retail is a breach of trust of Parliament," Mr Advani said.
He said "therefore, we would request for convening of a special session of Parliament. We will make a formal request to the President for the special session after the September 20 nation-wide bandh called by us."
Asked whether there is a need for convening a special session of Parliament, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said there is "no need" for it as it will not solve any problem.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said "our leader L K Advani has said that we can demand a special session of Parliament on the issue as the Prime Minister had promised on the floor of the House that this is an era of federalism and if we bring FDI in retail, we will try and build a consensus before".
"We in NDA will decide on whether to convene a special session of Parliament... We will decide at the NDA meeting after tomorrow's nationwide bandh," he said.
