SP to vote against FDI in upper house

The SP leadership appeared trying to project its commitment to oppose FDI in retail that gave hopes to the BJP’s plans to embarrass the government in the Rajya Sabha. “We will vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha if the government brings it there,” senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters. However, he refrained from committing the same in the Lok Sabha, indicating that the party need not vote against the government in the lower House. “Ask our leaders from Lok Sabha,” he said, replying to a question.

Mulayam evaded a direct reply over SP’s stance in the event of voting on the issue in the Lok Sabha next week. “As far as FDI issue is concerned, our party is strongly opposed to it,” he said in Lucknow.

While Mulayam’s ambiguity over party’s voting preference in the Lok Sabha provided comfort to the ruling side, party leader in Rajya Sabha Ram Gopal Yadav’s declaration to vote against FDI in the Rajya Sabha gave hope for the BJP to corner the government in the upper house.

The BJP’s hopes relied heavily on its assessment that Mayawati’s BSP will abstain from voting. While Mayawati said she will “disclose our strategy on

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