Pranab told me retail FDI decision has been put on hold: Mamata

In a sudden turn of events, the Centre has decided to put on hold the controversial decision about FDI in retail sector, in an apparent bid to break the Parliament logjam.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose party Trinamool Congress is strongly opposed to the decision, claimed on Saturday that Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to her and told her that the FDI decision has been "suspended".

"It is not temporary. Until and unless consensus is evolved, the issue (decision on FDI in retail) is suspended," she told reporters.

"Pranabda sought our opinion on the issue and we told him that the Trinamool Congress remains firm. He informed me that the cabinet decision on FDI entry in retail will be suspended until and unless a consensus is evolved," Banerjee said.

"If that is so, the issue is settled," she said.

"The matter is crystal clear and you may ask Pranab Mukherjee," the chief minister added.

Mukherjee, who is currently in Kolkata, visited the ailing mother of the chief minister at a local hospital. He could not be contacted.

She said that the finance minister tried to contact her several times. Later, he asked her how to thrash out a solution to the FDI issue.

"I too was preoccupied. But I talked to him over the phone twice and during the short period, I consulted senior leaders of my party," she said.

Banerjee said she had spoken over the telephone with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday and he had requested her to reconsider her party's stand on the issue.

"I also assured him that the Trinamool Congress does not want to topple the government. But at the same time, we are not in favour of FDI in the retail sector," she said, adding that Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi had strongly opposed the decision at the Cabinet meeting. Parliamentary Party chief Sudip Bandhopadyaya had opposed it too.

Banerjee said that a coalition government could not be run on the opinion of one party and a policy decision evolved only when two opinions converged.

"The Trinamool Congress is always in favour of farmers, retailers and small traders," she said, congratulating all political parties who opposed the decision.

Banerjee strongly denied a report that her government was seeking a special package from the Centre in exchange of her party's support on the FDI issue.

For the last one week, Parliament has been paralysed on the FDI issue with opposition parties demanding a rollback.

The prime minister has told the allies that it will be difficult to rollback the decision.