Left parties to seek another vote on FDI: Prakash Karat

Left parties will seek another vote during amendment to FEMA regulations even if UPA wins the one on FDI in Parliament by 'cobbling' up numbers by 'luring' parties opposed to it, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said here on Saturday.

"The UPA government that has allowed FDI in multi retail under pressure of the USA and multinationals is busy cobbling up numbers by luring parties opposed to FDI to win the vote on the issue," Karat said addressing a state-level convention of Left parties on FDI.

"Even if UPA manages to win the vote, the Left Parties would demand another vote in Parliament on amendment of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) regulations to allow implementation of FDI as suggested by the Supreme Court".

Later, when asked by scribes to comment on Samajwadi Party indicating support to UPA over FDI issue, he said "Let's wait for the voting."

Describing the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand as 'anti-national and anti-people', Karat rubbished the argument of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that it would create jobs and galvanise the economy.

"The prime minister said arrival of retail giants will create one crore employment annually ... But the fact is that for creating one crore jobs they will deprive around 5 crore people of livelihood," he said.

The convention was a jointly hosted by CPI-M, CPI, CPI-ML and Forward Block strongly opposed to allowing 51 per cent share in FDI in multi-brand retail.