BJD to vote against UPA govt on FDI in retail in present form

Breaking its silence on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail sector, ruling BJD in Odisha on Wednesday said it was opposed to UPA's move in its present form and would vote against UPA government when it comes up in Parliament.

"We are opposed to FDI in retail in its present form. The party has already given notices both for division of votes and discussion in Parliament," BJD's Chief Whip in Lok Saba Bhartuhari Mahtab said.

BJD would not support the Congress-led UPA government on the FDI issue, Mahtab said adding the party would rather vote against the government.

"We will instead like the fall of the UPA government over the FDI issue," Mahtab said.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik had declined to divulge the party's stand on FDI when the issue cropped up in September.

Patnaik had also maintained that FDI in retail sector was not applicable to Odisha as the state did not have any city having a population more than 10 lakh.

BJD has 21 MPs — 14 in Lok Sabha and 7 in Rajya Sabha.