Reliance gets comrade to open Kochi outlet

Reliance Retail, which is facing a less than friendly Left Government in Kerala, pulled off a coup of sorts today getting a senior CPM leader and local MLA to inaugurate a super market it opened here. This comes not long after the Left Government had declared the retail giant a 8220;threat8221; to the state, and vowed to explore Government-sponsored counter facilities and even legislative disincentives, to checkmate 8220;MNC retailers and big Indian corporates8221;.

A few weeks ago, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan himself had given an open call to rein in the retail major, accusing it of beginning to control the market while the state was coping with a hefty price rise of essential goods. 8220;There is a big scarcity for essential goods in the market and prices are going through the roof as a big monopoly called Reliance has come and started controlling the market,8221; VS had maintained.

The MLA, Dinesh Mani, who is also the former city Mayor, however told The Sunday Express soon after the inauguration that he really had no clue as to what he was inaugurating till he got there. 8220;A friend asked me to open a store, and I obliged. Besides, it was not too huge a store, and our party actually opposes MNCs like Walmart8212;not Indian companies like Reliance,8221; Mani said.

This was though CPM general secretary Prakash Karat himself had blasted Indian corporate retailers a few days ago for allegedly torpedoing the livelihood of some 40 million small retailers. The CPM has been stridently demanding a 8216;transparent8217; licensing system for retailers in the organised sector to rein them in.

Senior CPM sources said the party would not like to offer a comment until it is officially seized of the inauguration issue.