New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday chaired an all-party meeting to arrive at a consensus over allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector.

The meeting at the parliament annexe is being attended by opposition parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left, AIADMK, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party as well as the Congress and its allies like the Trinamool Congress and DMK.

The meeting is being seen as an effort by the government to reach out to the opposition as five days of parliament's winter session have been lost without transacting any major business. The winter session is slated to end Dec 21.

Government sources said the meeting was convened to focus upon the issue of FDI in retail, which has become the bone of contention with not only the opposition but also allies of the government.

Other issues on the agenda in the winter session like pending legislations will also be taken up, the sources said.