Will not react till formal announcement about FDI on hold: BJP

BJP today asked Government to come out with a formal announcement on putting the FDI issue on hold, saying it will not react to comments in this regard by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"Till we hear from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on this issue, it will not be appropriate for the BJP to react," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Banerjee, chief of Trinamool Congress, a key UPA ally, met Mukherjee today in Kolkata to discuss the FDI in multi-brand retail issue.

After the meeting, Banerjee told reporters that Governemnt has decided to put on hold the FDI issue till it arrives at a consensus with allies. Trinamool Congress is opposed to FDI in retail.

"Mamata is saying something on the basis of what the Finance Minister allegedly told her. Unless a formal comment is made by the PM or the Finance Minister, it would not be proper for BJP to react," Prasad said.