The National Democratic Alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party could not decide on supporting Trinamool Congress’s no-confidence motion against the United Progressive Alliance Government.
The principal Opposition prefers moving a resolution with voting preferences in both the Houses of Parliament.
The Government has rejected this demand on the ground that no policy decisions could be voted in Parliament as there is no such precedence.
The BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after a meeting of the NDA leaders that the Government has violated an assurance to both Houses of Parliament that FDI in retail will be allowed only after consultations with parties and State governments.
He said the NDA will move a resolution under voting provisions seeking to disapprove the Government’s decision.
“The NDA appeals to all political parties which supported the Bharat bandh against the decision to bring FDI in retail, to cooperate in the disapproval of this decision,” a statement from the NDA said.
When asked about the no confidence motion, Prasad said the NDA will consult all political parties to explore such a possibility. He was non-committal on supporting the Trinamool Congress’s motion.
Sources in the BJP said that there was no consensus on supporting the Trinamool Congress’s no-trust motion. The NDA convenor Sharad Yadav may speak to the leaders of SP and BSP to seek their views on the no-confidence motion. Yadav himself was not in favour of the Trinamool Congress’s stand.
No threat to UPA
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha will decide if the Trinamool Congress brings a no-trust motion with the support of 50 MPs.
He said it could be for the first time that a party with just 19 MPs is trying to move a no-confidence motion. He said the Government is confident of facing any challenge in Parliament.
He rejected the Opposition’s demand for a debate on FDI retail in Lok Sabha under Rule 184, which entails voting. He said there was no precedence that a policy decision of the Government was discussed in Parliament with provision of voting.
When pointed out that the issue of disinvestment in Balco was debated in Parliament followed by voting in 2001, Nath said it was not on a policy decision. “It was not on a policy framework,” Nath said.