Against FDI but won't trouble government: SP

New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party said it was against Foreign Direct Investment in retail but would not do anything to "trouble the government" as the United Progressive Alliance continued talks with opposition parties on Wednesday to elicit their support during the FDI vote in the Lok Sabha.

"Netaji (SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav) has already made his position clear on the issue - that he is against FDI. Today, after the reply of the government, the Samajwadi Party will decide what to do at the time of the voting. We will not do anything to trouble the government," said SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.

Some consolation came from the SP that props the ruling United Progressive Alliance from outside. "We are in talks with opposition parties to persuade them to vote in favour of FDI in retail," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said. The Lok Sabha would continue the debate on Wednesday on FDI before putting it to vote in the evening.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari questioned the intent of the opposition. If the opposition wanted to "persuade" the government to roll back FDI, then why did it go for a debate under Rule 184, which entails voting, instead of Rule 193 that states how a member would submit in writing his request for a discussion on a matter of urgent public importance, Tewari asked.