The refrain of central leaders had been that the decision was "right" but the timing was "wrong".
With the 'hold' on FDI in retail issue creating much embarrassment, Congress today suggested that the Government should have held prior consultations with all UPA allies before going ahead with the move.
"Talking with allies beforehand was necessary. Only approval of the Union Cabinet in which representatives of the allies are present is not enough. Parties are different things and parties run the government and not vice-versa", a senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.
Indications available at the AICC headquarters were that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement telling Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee that the government was 'suspending' the FDI in retail was prompted by the party, concerned over the stalemate in Parliament.
While party chief Sonia Gandhi and young leader Rahul Gandhi had not spoken anything on the FDI issue in the backdrop of the logjam, the refrain of central leaders had been that the decision was "right" but the timing was "wrong".
"Congress welcomes all meaningful steps to break the stalemate over FDI. In such a situation, a broad consensus is required among different stakeholders. Mamataji is our valuable ally,", was the cryptic reaction of party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi.
The voice of dissent in the Congress was first raised by Kerala PCC President Ramesh Chennithala who demanded that the decision should be rolled back.
Talk in UPA circles is that Mamata has become 'Super Chandrababu' by her aggressive opposition to the move. TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu had been wellknown to drive a hard bargain from the BJP-led NDA Government which he was supporting from outside with his 27 MPs.
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