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BJP may demand special session of Parliament, JD(U) not in favour

Last Updated 19 September 2012, 14:30 IST

With Trinamool Congress deciding to quit UPA, BJP sees an opportunity to corner the ruling coalition and is planning to demand a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue of FDI in retail but its key ally JD-U is not in favour of this move.

BJP feels the government will not last its full term till 2014 if 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 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," Advani told PTI.

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," 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."

BJP claimed the government did not even talk to its own allies like Trinamool and DMK before the decision on FDI. "Today, there is no need for ascertaining votes. It is very clear that majority of both Houses of Parliament is protesting against the anti-people decisions of the government and that is why this situation," Javadekar said.

He charged Congress with "fooling" the people and playing "fraud" with them and said it will force rolling back its "anti-people decisions", adding "Either roll back or pack up." He said while Trinamool Congress has already decided to pull out of the alliance, Samajwadi Party, which is supporting UPA from outside, and DMK are opposing the government's decisions and participating in the bandh tomorrow.

"This has become a movement...a jan andolan...Bharat bandh is a tool for mobilising public opposition to the government's actions," he said. It also termed as a "stunt" that Congress will ask states ruled by it to raise the number of subsidised LPG cylinders from six to nine for each household a year and said "this is the worst kind of logic" being given.

Javadekar also brushed aside speculation about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar supporting Congress if it gave the state a special status saying JD-U is very much a part of NDA and this has been clarified.

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(Published 19 September 2012, 14:30 IST)

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