Retail FDI row: Trial of strength in Parliament set for next week
communal forces at bay, the Congress-led coalition is confident of its numbers.
"I have received 30 notices for discussion on FDI in multi-brand retail under Rule 184. I have admitted the motion to allow the discussion," the Speaker Meira Kumar said.
But in Rajya Sabha, in a discomforting news to the government, Samajwadi Party today said it will vote against FDI in the Upper House where UPA does not have majority on its own.
"We will vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha if the government brings it there," SP leader in the Upper House Ramgopal Yadav said.
SP has nine members in the 244-member House.
After a meeting of leaders of all parties chaired by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said that the government has agreed to a discussion on FDI under rule 168 that entails voting.
He said that the date and timing of the discussion will be decided later after consultations with leaders of all parties.
UPA and its allies have a strength of 94 members in the Upper House.
The ten nominated members may go ahead to vote with the government. BSP has 15 MPs and SP nine.
Among the seven independents, three-four may support the government.
BSP, which extends outside support to UPA, has 15 members and it has said that it will disclose its stand on the issue on the floor of the House.
While in Lok Sabha, the government appears to be comfortably placed in the numbers game with promise of support from SP and BSP and
