Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that the decision on FDI in multi-brand retail was suspended because if an ally of the ruling coalition was to vote against it would have been a "awkward" situation been unprecedented" situation in the history of Parliament. It was clarified he had never talked about mid-term elections at a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) this morning when the issue of FDI in retail came up. "We have taken the decision to suspend the FDI decision because if a part of the ruling alliance had voted against it,it would have been a very awkward situation and unprecedented in the history of parliamentary democracy," Mukerjee told the meeting. "I am sorry members who had supported FDI in retail might be feeling let down," he is said told his party MPs. It was the responsibility of the Congress to take allies on board,he said in an apparent reference to Trinamool Congress which had opposed the decision. Trinamool Congress,a UPA constituent and partner in the government,had said it would vote in favour of an adjournment motion against FDI in retail. Making it clear that suspension of the FDI decision did not amount to roll-back,Mukherjee said that the government would strive to develop a consensus on the issue.
