Centre will not force DMK or any other state government on implementation of FDI in retail sector, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad said this to the reporters after meeting DMK chief M Karunanidhi at Channai today. Azad said that the DMK has a lot of reservations about FDI in retail sector, He said that party had requested the Centre to have a meeting of allies on the FDI issue.

Azad, said that when FDI was cleared by the Centre there were apprehensions among state governments and political parties including DMK.

He said that the DMK leadership even at that point of time had raised objections to FDI, saying it was not acceptable to them. The Minister said it was on the demand of a number of parties, including DMK, and state governments that the Centre made an enabling provision that it will not enforce the decision on FDI in retail sector on those states which are against it, and it was left to the respective governments.

Meanwhile, the government has convened an all-party meeting in New Delhi tomorrow to discuss the deadlock in Parliament over FDI in retail. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has convened the meeting.

AIR correspondent reports, the meet has come at a time when the first two days of the winter session last week saw Parliament being paralysed on the issue. The Left and the Right have remained adamant on discussion under a rule that entails voting. The stalemate has continued since the start of the session on November 22 with the government showing no signs of yielding to the opposition demand.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj has insisted on a vote on the issue saying this was necessary because the government has violated its assurance in Parliament that FDI in multi-brand retail will not be implemented till a consensus is reached among all stakeholders. The Left also wants a discussion under rule 184.