PM hosts dinner for Mulayam Yadav, Farooq Abdullah

With government gearing up to face the opposition onslaught in winter session of Parliament on FDI in retail issue besides hike in diesel price, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday night hosted a dinner for SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The dinner meeting, seen as an attempt to reach out to Yadav, comes days ahead of the winter session of Parliament which commences on November 22.

Yadav's son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was also present along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

SP has openly opposed FDI in retail but maintained it is not withdrawing its support to UPA government in order to check communal forces.

Government, which is also likely to face opposition attack on hike in diesel price and cap on subsidised LPG cylinders at 6 per year, wants the support of Samajwadi Party to get important legislations like Lokpal, Whistleblowers' Bill and Land bill passed in Parliament.

The government is also banking on the support of such allies to ensure that the proposed Food Security Bill faces lesser obstacles in the Parliament session.