New Delhi, Nov 30: Reflecting the unease in the party over the FDI conroversy, senior party leader Anil Shastri said the present stalemate over it could have been avoided while party MP from Uttar Pradesh Praveen Singh Aron struck a cautious note on the issue.
“Govt should've consulted Congress leaders before taking such a major policy decision on FDI in retail to avoid embarrassment within party. Kerala Congress President and Haryana Congress Minister have opposed FDI in retail. Govt should have consulted Congress leaders,” CWC's special invitee Anil Shastri said on the microblogging community site Twitter.
A senior minister in Haryana government is learnt to have opposed the move two days back. Yesterday was the turn of party MP from Uttar Pradesh Sanjay Singh to openly oppose the decision. Singh also demanded its withdrawal.
Aron shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh giving a series of suggestions to ensure that investors do not take “undue benefit”.
Kerala Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala had already written to the Prime Minister opposing the cabinet nod to FDI in retail.
Shastri also felt that the government should have taken the allies into confidence on the measure in the backdrop of the strong opposition registered by DMK and Trinamool Congress to FDI.
“Govt should have taken its allies into confidence before deciding FDI in retail. Present stalemate was avoidable. Although opposition is unreasonable, it's surprising govt didn't consult them on FDI in retail. Logjam in Parliament could have been avoided,” Shastri said in two separate tweets.
In his latest tweet, the senior Congress leader also backed Sanjay Singh. “Congress MP Sanjay Singh is right that a Lok Sabha MP understands the pulse of the people better than a Rajya Sabha MP.”
