BJP gets traders on its side after promise to block FDI

 The apex traders’ union in the capital has decided to support the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls after the party said it won’t allow FDI in multi-brand retail.

The Confederation of All India Traders’ Association was waiting for the BJP’s manifesto to know about the party’s stand on Foreign Direct Investment in this segment.

“The traders’ community welcomes the BJP’s stand on FDI. We are hopeful that when the party comes to power, it will scrap the FDI in retail launched by the UPA government. The party has also included various demands of the traders’ community in their manifesto,” association secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said.

There is a majority of traders in Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency and in parts of New Delhi and South Delhi constituencies. The union’s decision will help BJP candidates in all these areas.

“The steps taken by the BJP will go miles ahead in liberating retail trade from the clutches of not only MNCs but even from the vicious net of big corporates that were considering the retail trade as a profit centre by entering into partnership with MNCs,” association national president B C Bhartia said.

“This unhealthy circle encouraged and promoted by the UPA government will certainly come to an end,” Bhartia said.

The traders’ community is always considered as a traditional voter of BJP, but after implementation of FDI in multi-brand retail, the community decided to wait for every party’s manifesto before supporting anyone.

“We sent our demands to every national and regional party and prepared a chart of their manifestos. Some have included parts of our demands and some have totally ignored us. Now BJP has completely supported our cause and the party tops the chart. We have asked the entire fraternity to support BJP,” he added.