The Centre has decided to take a final call on FDI in retail after talking to its allies. Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday spoke to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Trinamul Congress
chief, and assured her that a decision would be taken only after speaking to the UPA partners. “This does not mean that the decision has been put on hold,” sources close to the finance minister said on Saturday.
However, speaking in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee claimed the Centre had decided to “suspend” the FDI-in-retail move. “Pranabda has told me, and you can check with him, that the Centre has decided to suspend FDI in retail. If they do what they have told me they will do, then there is no problem anymore. I have been told that the Cabinet decision on FDI will be put on hold till a consensus is evolved. Consensus means all opinions will be taken on board, and that means for now the problem has been settled,” Ms Banerjee announced in Kolkata.
Ms Banerjee pointed out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called her on Friday and asked her to review her stand. “I informed him that despite being in the government we cannot accept this decision. Today, as you all know, Pranabda was in town. He wanted to meet me but since I had several prior engagements, we could not meet. He spoke to me twice over the phone and wanted to know if any solution was possible. After talking to me he said the Centre has decided to keep the decision in suspension till a consensus is evolved,” Ms Banerjee added.
Sources, however, revealed the government intends to take the allies into confidence before taking a final call. Consultations will be held in the next few days. However, in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee, addressing her constituency, claimed “victory”.
Ms Banerjee had earlier taken credit for the reduction of petrol prices.