Unfazed by key ally DMK's opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail, Congress today expressed confidence that it will be able to bring on board its southern ally on UPA's big ticket reforms.

Senior Congress leader and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy also expressed satisfaction over UPA's strength in Parliament with BSP and SP extending outside support.

His comments came in the wake of DMK's stiff opposition to 51 per cent FDI cap in multi-brand retail, with the M Karunanidhi-led party even participating in nationwide protests called by Left parties against the Centre's decision.

Explaining the salient features of the cabinet decision to approve FDI, he told reporters that it would result in job creation for about two crore Indians in coming years, bring along cold storage facilities, ensure better prices for farmers' produce and competitive rates for consumers.

"We will reach out to DMK and convince them. We are confident of doing that," he said. Such issues are common in a coalition government and alliance party leaders are consulted, he said.

He refrained from commenting on the vacancy in the cabinet after resignation of DMK members A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, both in connection with Telecom scam, saying that the Prime Minister is the ultimate authority in this matter.

He pleaded ignorance when asked if Karunanidhi had conveyed any message in this regard to the Congress top bras.

Strongly batting for the decision to open up the Indian market to FDI, he said it was done with the intention of attracting more foreign investment to realise better growth rate.

To questions on Arvind Kejriwal's corruption charges against Law Minister Salman Khurshid and son-in-law of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi Robert Vadra, he charged the activist with making "wild allegations" for gaining popularity.

He said Kejriwal's charges deserve to be "brushed aside" as they are not backed by any proof. He said government cannot act suo motu on such issues and agencies would be asked to probe them only if there was a written complaint and challenged Kejriwal to do so.

"Let's not jump to any conclusion. They (the Khurshids) have filed a defamation against them (a media house) in court," he said.

He accused the IAC activist of furnishing 'bogus' accounts of money collected during social activist Anna Hazare's fast in Delhi and charged Kejriwal and his team with trying to use Hazare's movement for their own popularity.

On BJP's plans to file FIRs against Singh in connection with the coal-block allocation scam, he said it was "unwanted, unwarranted and malicious."

"It shows BJP's frustration," he said adding a CBI inquiry was already on in this matter.

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's contention that 70 percent of Punjab's youth were addicted to drugs, he said the statement was made based on records but the issue was being politicised.

On the Kudankulam nuclear power issue, quoting the scientific establishment, Naryanasamy said the plant is expected to go critical in the next ten days and assured it is safe with a seven-layer safety structure. He referred to the safe functioning of Kalpakkam power plant in Tamil Nadu and said nuclear energy is cheap compared to coal energy.

He said he and other state MPs had batted for increased allocation of power from the plant to Tamil Nadu with the Prime Minister, endorsing Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's demand in this regard with Singh.

He reiterated that the fears of the locals who are opposed to the plant in view of safety concerns, were misplaced and that "some NGOs are propagating in a negative way."

The Minister also listed out the various achievements of his government, including making increased annual allocation for Tamil Nadu, making more investment on power and infrastructure sectors among others.