New Delhi, Oct.20 (ANI): The Congress party and the UPA Government on Saturday said that they were confident about estranged ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) backing its big ticket reforms, including allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy said that the Congress Party and the Central Government would reach out to the DMK leadership and convince the latter about the need for FDI in multi-brand retail, besides other reforms.
He said that he did not see the UPA Government in trouble any time sonn, as it had the strength in Parliament with Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party extending outside support.
"We will reach out to DMK and convince them. We are confident of doing that," he said. Such issues are common in a coalition government and alliance party leaders are consulted, he said.
It maybe recalled that the DMK has strongly objected to the 51 per cent FDI cap in multi-brand retail, and has even participating in nationwide protests called by Left parties against the Centre's decision.
Explaining the salient features of the cabinet decision to approve FDI, Narayanasamy said it would result in job creation for about two crore Indians in coming years, bring along cold storage facilities, ensure better prices for farmers' produce and competitive rates for consumers.
Strongly batting for the decision to open up the Indian market to FDI, he said it was done with the intention of attracting more foreign investment to realise better growth rate.
To questions on Arvind Kejriwal's corruption charges against Law Minister Salman Khurshid and son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Robert Vadra, he charged the activist with making "wild allegations" for gaining popularity.
He said Kejriwal's charges deserve to be "brushed aside" as they are not backed by any proof. He said government cannot act suo motu on such issues and agencies would be asked to probe them only if there was a written complaint and challenged Kejriwal to do so.
"Let's not jump to any conclusion. They (the Khurshids) have filed a defamation against them (a media house) in court," he said.
He accused the IAC activist of furnishing 'bogus' accounts of money collected during social activist Anna Hazare's fast in Delhi and charged Kejriwal and his team with trying to use Hazare's movement for their own popularity. (ANI with inputs)
