Selling out?

When it made the brave and polarising decision to allow FDI in retail, the UPA government appeared to have a plan. It passed an executive order, allowing states to take or reject it. It responded to criticism, explained how retail reform would help diverse sections, and appeared to be considerably invested in it going through — the prime minister personally expressed his commitment to this “well thought-out decision”. And now, after a merciless campaign by the opposition and some of its own allies, unsure of its numbers in an upcoming adjournment motion in Parliament, the UPA has had to sheepishly suspend the plan. And even before they could speak for themselves, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee broke the news, presenting it as a political victory for herself.

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