'No opposition to FDI in single-brand retail'

New Delhi: Government is going ahead with its decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in single brand retail as it has escaped the opposition fury.

"100 per cent FDI in single brand retail was not a subject matter of any opposition or agitation," a senior minister said.

Earlier, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced that the government has decided to suspend its decision allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail, which had kept Parliament paralysed for nine days.

"The statement made by the Finance Minister was very specific - 'the decision to permit 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail trade is suspended till a consensus is developed through consultations amongst various stakeholders'," the minister said.

Meanwhile, the CPM has made it clear that there can be "no consensus" on the issue as long as it was part of the stakeholders.

However, the minister said that the government had not given up on multi-brand retail and would bring it back much before its term ends in 2014.