Calcutta, Aug. 3: The Forward Bloc has demanded an all-party meeting to discuss what it termed the “backdoor entry” of Reliance into the food retail market in Bengal.

On Friday, Reliance opened three stores in and around Calcutta after joining hands with city industrialist Mahendra K. Jalan. Reliance itself is not selling fruits or vegetables but has allowed Jalan’s Keventer Fresh to sell imported fruits.

However, Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh claimed that local produce was also being sold in the shops. “I have come to know that local vegetables are also being sold. This will affect poor farmers. With whose permission have they entered our retail sector through the backdoor?” he asked.

Ghosh alleged that the Left Front was not taken into confidence when the decision on Reliance’s retail entry was taken. “I want the government to immediately convene an all-party meeting to take the opinion of all main political parties. I would also request Left Front chairman Biman Bose to discuss it with the Left Front at the earliest,” he added.

Naren Chatterjee, chairman of the Bloc-controlled state agricultural marketing board, threatened an agitation.

The CPM, however, was cautious. Shyamal Chakraborty, the Citu state president, said: “If the front partners feel an all-party meeting could address the problem, they are free to talk to the chief minister. Similarly, for a front meeting, they can approach Bimanda.”