Chennithala alleged that foreign companies, "eyeing huge business opportunities in India", are trying to pressurise the Government by "maligning the image" of Prime Minister Singh who, according to him, contributed "enormously" towards the economic growth of the country.
Asked whether it is a "pressure tactic" by the US for the speedy implementation of FDI in retail, Chennithala said, "I also suspect so".
"Manmohan Singh is a successful Prime Minister. The Time Magazine story can be seen as a conspiracy by the multi-nationals to malign the image of the Prime Minister. This kind of pressure tactics will not work in this country," Chennithala told reporters here.
"No force can dictate terms to India and the Congress Party led by Sonia Gandhi," he said.
The Congress leader had met the Prime Minister and Congress President yesterday.
Chennithala had written to the Prime Minister opposing the Union Cabinet decision to throw open the doors of country's retail market.
The party in Kerala has been opposing FDI in retail fearing that the opposition Left would capitalise on it by weaning away small and marginal retail shop owners from its supporters.
