THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Retreating from one more war front, the CPM has shaken hands with retail giant Big Bazaar. The retail shop chain under the Future Group will be a gold sponsor for the third season of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF), organised by the Tourism Department.
The Future Group signed a deal the other day with the state Tourism Directorate which is under the direct supervision of PB member and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. As a gold sponsor, Big Bazaar has to pay a registration fee of Rs 25,000 and will be eligible for 300 coupons for lucky draw. The shop will have the flexibility in choosing the ratio of distribution of lucky coupons to customers.
The entry of Big Bazaar and Reliance Fresh to the Kerala market was opposed by the CPM and its feeder organisations earlier.
There were instances of left parties attacking the showrooms of retail giants in various parts of the state.
Palluruthy MLA C M Dinesh Mani and Kochi Deputy Mayor C K Manisankar were censured by the Ernakulam district committee of the CPM for inaugurating Reliance Fresh shops in the district. Both had to tender public apologies later as directed by the party.
The CPM took an ideological stand when the UPA Government had decided to open up the retail sector for giants. Central Committee of the party had prepared a blueprint for creating a national consensus on opening up of retail sector.
It had proposed strict regulatory mechanism for the entry of global players into the business. According to the blueprint, local bodies could be vested with powers to issue and even revoke licences for this business keeping in mind the interests of the smaller traders.
Based on the blueprint and the sentiments expressed by small-scale traders in the state, the party had directed the local bodies under its control not to issue licences for retail giants.
In may towns, such shops were opened after obtaining special permission from the courts.
The Big Bazaar’s first shop in Thiruvananthapuram is under an eviction threat by the CPM-ruled City Corporation. The CPM’s shift in stand has already created confusion among the local body officebearers.
The Municipalities and Corporations which still resist the entry of retail giants will now be under pressure to change their stand.
Sensing the limitless opportunity of an association with the CPM-led Government, Sandip Tarkas, president of Future Group landed here the other day to negotiate the deal and sign the agreement.
Tarkas has promised Tourism Department officials that Big Bazaar will arrange special galleries for Kudumbashree products and will promote the GKSF by offering special schemes during the festival.