Centre to fast track reforms after FDI tonic

Victory lap: Success to propel UPA to take liberalisation to a new high

After a grand show in Parliament on the vote on FDI, the government now plans to expedite implementation of the pending reform measures.

“The government’s pro-reform policy has been approved by Parliament. We will take up other reforms in the interest of the nation. This is the first step in that direction,” Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy, told reporters after the Opposition’s motion against FDI in multi-brand retail was defeated in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath described the defeat as “rejection of the politics of the BJP.”

“We are going to bring in more legislations in the coming weeks in Parliament. We will be engaging all political parties,” Kamal Nath said. He also claimed to have discussed the financial bills with opposition parties, including the BJP, to seek their support.

“I am sure that the BJP will also support us. They want one or two amendments in the bills. Convergence on this issue will be necessary,” he added.

The financial bills, which are likely to be tabled in Parliament during the Winter Session, are the Companies Bill, Competition Bill and FDI in insurance and pension sectors.

Commenting on the government’s victory in Parliament, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said: “We showed that we have a clear majority.”

The BJP, however, alleged the government managed to get the motion defeated through “manipulation.” Criticising the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party for conniving with the government, the BJP threatened to expose them before the people of Uttar Pradesh.

“The SP and the BSP need to explain this to the people. We are not going to let them get away. We will take this issue to the people. We will go to Uttar Pradesh,” former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

Wondering why the SP and the BSP jumped tracks despite publicly opposing FDI in multi-brand retail, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said: “May be supremacy of the market is reigning supreme even in Parliament.”

Kamal Nath claimed that parties voted in favour of FDI since the opposition was “political.”

“I appealed to the parties to recognise the BJP’s political agenda and vote accordingly, and they did that. The BJP was trying to mislead the people on the issue of FDI,” he added.