IndiaRetailBiz

“We are doing a legitimate business, and there are so many others doing the same business. So why should people try to stop Reliance alone from entering Bengal. I appreciate there’s some anxiety, but such things happen all over the world. We’ll have to address it.”

“We should be there, hopefully, in the next four weeks. We’ll launch in Kolkata first.”

– Raghu Pillai Chief Executive, Reliance Retail and Director, Reliance Industries.

Amid threats of continuing opposition by the All India Forward Bloc — a ruling Left Front constituent in West Bengal — Reliance Retail, the retailing arm of the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance group, is getting ready to launch around 100 retail stores across the state, reports LiveMint. These stores would begin to come up within the four weeks.

It may be recalled that Reliance Fresh was compelled to abandon its retail foray into the state last year as some of its under construction stores were vandalised just before beginning of the festive season (Durga Pooja) by political activists belonging to AIFB. The political outfit is ideologically opposed to entry of big corporates in the retail sector. Even Trinamul Congress and BJP had also opposed to the entry of Reliance in the state. AIFB had also blocked Reliance from sourcing farm products from rural wholesale markets as Agricultural Marketing Board in the state is under the control of the party.

Consequently, Reliance had decided to put the issue of entering into West Bengal on a back-burner.

Despite the setback, the retailer is reported to have been aquiring properties in the state. It has recently acquired three properties on 999 years’ lease from the Transport Department in North Bengal. This department is incidentally controlled by the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Although, the properties were acquired through public bidding, AIFB is believed to be upset at being kept in the dark about the development.

“The government isn’t run by a single party. They (the CPM) cannot take such unilateral decisions without seeking political consensus,” said Naren Chatterjee, Forward Block leader and Chairman of the state’s Agricultural Marketing Board.

“The Forward Bloc would continue to oppose Reliance’s foray into the state,” added Chaterjee.