BJP sticks to its demand on discussion on FDI issue

 BJP on Friday said it will stick to its demand for a discussion in Parliament on the FDI issue under rules which entail voting when the government holds an all-party meeting on Monday to end the logjam.

"Our stand in the all-party meeting on Monday will be that the debate should be under Rule 184 (which entails voting) in Lok Sabha," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said. The party has also wanted that the debate be held under Rule 167 in Rajya Sabha to ensure division of votes.

Hussain said the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the BJP top brass had failed to end the deadlock as the main opposition did not budge from its demand.

"Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj gave the Prime Minister a copy of the December 7, 2011 minutes of the House in which (then Finance Minister) Pranab Mukherjee had assured that a decision on FDI in retail will be taken after consulting all stakeholders. BJP conveyed to him that it wants nothing less than a discussion under Rule 184," Hussain said.

The government has called an all-party meeting on Monday to end the impasse.

BJP and the Left have been pressing for the division of votes to prove that a sizeable section of Parliament was opposed to the proposal.