Government wins FDI vote in Lok Sabha: who said what

New Delhi: The UPA government has won the vote on Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in multi-brand retail in Lok Sabha; in division, 471 votes were cast, 253 MPs voted against the BJP motion challenging the government's policy decision and 218 voted for it. The Lok Sabha had debated the contentious issue of FDI over Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here are the reactions after the vote:

Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

• It a political victory but a moral loss. The people of this country will now give them a fitting reply during the elections. Those who did not vote with us today and abstained, in a covert way, have extended their support to the government's policy of FDI.

Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress chief (writes on her Facebook page)

• It is a shame!
• The mandate today proves that the UPA-II is a minority Government. As against the majority figure of 271, based on the total strength of the House, the support was only 253, despite all attempts made by the selfish people.
• This Government has lost its credibility. They must take fresh verdict from the people.

Manish Tewari (Congress)

• This is a victory of reforms and a defeat of those who look at India's economy through ideologically coloured lenses.
• We hope the Opposition will reconsider their position and join the government in this constructive endeavour.

Prakash Javadekar (BJP)

• The Congress has not won, it is the Congress Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that has won.

Mani Shankar Aiyar (Congress)

• That just shows they are better poets than politicians. They have held up Parliament for all these days and now they have egg on their face... they now want to take it off saying it is a nice omelette.

Naresh Agarwal (Samajwadi Party)

• We are not forced to respond to what the BJP says. We have declared that we will not implement FDI in Uttar Pradesh. Why don't the BJP Chief Ministers make a similar declaration? No one has a right to ask us why we walked out.

Kamal Nath (Congress)

• I appeal to the leader of all parties that this is nothing but politics. It is a defeat for the BJP's brand of politics.
• They have seen what has happened here, they are now sensitised.
• I will appeal they not abstain but vote with us.