FDI issue: Pranab meets Sonia

Amid the standoff in Parliament over the decision to allow foreign direct investment in retail, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi In New Delhi to discuss the issue.

Ahead of his meeting with Congress members of Parliament to allay their apprehensions on FDI, Mukherjee met Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence for about 10 minutes, party sources said.

Mukherjee said on Tuesday that he would speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the United Progressive Alliance chairperson and thereafter the government will decide on how to resolve the impasse in Parliament over the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail.

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Mukherjee had said that Opposition leaders have suggested a roll-back of the decision and a discussion in Parliament on the issue under an adjournment motion.

"I informed them (Opposition leaders) that I will talk to the leadership -- Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi. And thereafter, whatever decision government will take, you will come to know," he had said.

Opposition parties, including the BJP and Left have demanded a roll-back of the Cabinet decision to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.

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Even United Progressive Alliance allies Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, along with the SP and BSP, which lend outside support to the government, demanded that the decision should be revoked.

The Prime Minister has virtually rejected demands from the opposition as also UPA constituents TMC and DMK to rollback the decision on foreign direct investment.

Congress sources said Mukherjee's meeting with party MPs on Wednesday is aimed at addressing concerns of members.