FDI brings dissent within Congress out in open

It is not just the UPA allies who have openly expressed their disapproval of the government’s decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector. Two union ministers from Kerala, Vyalar Ravi and TK Thomas, as well as PKCC president Ramesh Chennithala have also come out in the open opposing this decision.

However, the party is playing down this expression of dissent. “This does not mean that the Congress is divided. It only means that we have to also take care of the concerns of the poor traders,” rationalized a senior Kerala Congress MP.

The dilemma for the Congress MPs is much bigger as the FDI decision was taken by the cabinet only after the party’s core committee chaired by Sonia Gandhi had approved it. “After this, where is the room for opposing the decision? But there is still the question of timing. We seem to be getting it wrong all the time. The blow would have been softer if the decision had been taken when parliament was not in session,” a junior minister said.

Even within the cabinet, there were a few dissenting voices when the issue was debated. “But the decision went through, as the government feels it is in the interest of the economy,” a cabinet minister explained.

However, this does not much ice with the MPs as they feel that the government did not do enough to create the right atmosphere for this decision. “If this is such a game-changer for the economy, then what was the problem in calling for a meeting of chief ministers or state ministers and explaining the situation? Then at least this accusation of taking one-sided decisions would have been pre-empted,” the junior minister added.