Opposing FDI in retail priority in Parliament, says CPM

New Delhi: Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader Basudeb Acharia said on Tuesday that opposing FDI in multi-brand retail was the party's "top priority" in the winter session of Parliament.

"FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in mutlti-brand retail is top priority," Acharia, leader of the CPM in the Lok Sabha, told IANS. He said that the Left parties would meet November 16 to decide their strategy and could move an adjournment motion on inflation in Parliament.

He said the Left parties also intended to raise the controversy surrounding coal block allocations and alleged favours to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in land deals by the Haryana government.

CPM leader Basudeb Acharia said that the Left parties would meet November 16 to decide their strategy.

"The issues include rise in prices of petroleum products, coalgate, problems faced by farmers and controversy about (land deals of) Robert Vadra," Acharia said.

With the government's decision to bring FDI in multi-brand retail being opposed by some allies of the United Progressive Alliance, Acharia said that they would talk to parties supporting the government.

Asked if they would talk to Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), whose support is crucial for the government's survival, Acharia said: "We will certainly talk to them." He said SP and DMK leaders had spoken against the decision on FDI in multi-brand retail.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had last week reached out to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati. The winter session of Parliament begins November 22.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is also opposed to FDI in multi-brand retail. The government had decided to allow FDI in multi-brand retail in September.

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