CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat has praised Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa for her consistent opposition to FDI in retail. "The CPI(M) appreciates the chief minister's consistent stand in opposing FDI in retail," she said. She also lambasted UPA constituent DMK for supporting the FDI bill and alleged it had adopted a dual stand on the issue as the party was among 14 others which initially opposed it.

"If even parties who had opposed FDI within UPA and outside and later supported it, then it is the "magic wand" of the Congress party, which could be CBI," she said at a public rally late last night.

Karat said the party would stage nationwide agitations against FDI in all cities and not allow the UPA government to sell the interests of the people in the name of economic reforms.

On government's claim that four crore jobs would be created with the entry of FDI, she said for every one job created, seven jobs would be lost. Even the European Union had a bitter experience with Walmart, she said.