Suspended IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi has sent his reply to the second showcause notice served on him, to the BCCI by e-mail.
“Yes he has sent it last night,” informed Modi’s Legal Counsel Mehmood Abdi today.
Mr. Abdi is scheduled to go to the BCCI headquarters here today to handover the hard copy of the reply which is expected to be just over 24 pages.
The show-cause notice was pertaining to an e-mail sent to the BCCI by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Giles Clarke in which he had alleged that Modi tried to damage the existing structure of international and English cricket.
Mr. Modi yesterday filed defamation notice on Clarke, mentioning that the ECB boss has accused the suspended IPL Chief of seeking to float a rebel league in England, violating International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations.
Mr. Modi was also served a third show-cause notice yesterday by the BCCI over theatrical rights and 150-second commercial slot in between balls during the telecast of IPL-3.
Mr. Modi has already replied to the first show-cause notice served on him with a staggering 15,000-page response.
The first show-cause notice alleged that Mr. Modi had indulged in murky deals and bid-rigging in IPL.
Showing posts with label IPL controversy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IPL controversy. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Rajasthan Royals says it's transparent
Rajasthan Royals (RR) said in statement that the current shareholders of Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd are Emerging Media IPL Ltd (Manoj Badale — 32.4 %), Tresco International Ltd (Suresh Chellaram family —44.2%), Blue Water Estate Ltd (Lachlan Murdoch — 11.7%) and Kuki Investments Ltd (Raj Kundra & family — 11.7%). It has also said that it signed the franchise agreement with the IPL on April 14, four days before the start of the DLF-IPL season one on April 18, 2008.
A BCCI official said changes in the ownership of the franchise had to be placed before the IPL Governing Council for approval and this had not happened and “in the document we have, we find only the name of Manoj Badale. The franchise agreement signed [on April 14] has the names of Fraser Castellino and Ranjit Bharthakur.”
Clarifying “certain misconceptions about the franchise which have been raised through the media,” the RR explained that the structure was completely transparent and in accordance with the regulatory guidelines. The corporate structure was established in accordance with the details provided in the bid submission shortly after the bid. “It was not established prior to the bid, as we obviously did not know if the bid would be successful.”
“No sufficient time”
“Moreover, the time allotted between the Invitation to Tender (December 27, 2007), and the bid submission date (January 23, 2008) would not have allowed sufficient time to incorporate the intended structure with an Indian entity. The investors agreed to submit the bid using a consortium led by the U.K.-based Emerging Media (IPL) Ltd. The other entities in the consortium were disclosed in the bid submission documents.
“Subsequently, on March 8, 2008, an Indian company Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd was incorporated as detailed in the bid submission. We then executed the franchise agreement on April 14, 2008. The ownership of the consortium did not change between the award of the bid on January 23, 2008 and the signing of the franchise agreement on April 14, 2008."
A BCCI official said changes in the ownership of the franchise had to be placed before the IPL Governing Council for approval and this had not happened and “in the document we have, we find only the name of Manoj Badale. The franchise agreement signed [on April 14] has the names of Fraser Castellino and Ranjit Bharthakur.”
Clarifying “certain misconceptions about the franchise which have been raised through the media,” the RR explained that the structure was completely transparent and in accordance with the regulatory guidelines. The corporate structure was established in accordance with the details provided in the bid submission shortly after the bid. “It was not established prior to the bid, as we obviously did not know if the bid would be successful.”
“No sufficient time”
“Moreover, the time allotted between the Invitation to Tender (December 27, 2007), and the bid submission date (January 23, 2008) would not have allowed sufficient time to incorporate the intended structure with an Indian entity. The investors agreed to submit the bid using a consortium led by the U.K.-based Emerging Media (IPL) Ltd. The other entities in the consortium were disclosed in the bid submission documents.
“Subsequently, on March 8, 2008, an Indian company Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd was incorporated as detailed in the bid submission. We then executed the franchise agreement on April 14, 2008. The ownership of the consortium did not change between the award of the bid on January 23, 2008 and the signing of the franchise agreement on April 14, 2008."
IPL can survive on its own: Dhoni
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday sought to steer clear of the raging IPL controversy, but said the high-profile Twenty20 league has the capability to survive on its own.
Dhoni refused to dwell into the specifics of the raging controversy but hoped that things would be sorted out in time before the start of the next season.
“IPL as a brand can survive on its own. But you have to come up with some innovative ideas every time to make it better. No individual but few brains will work together to pull off sensational ideas,” Dhoni said.
“I don’t know what exactly is going to happen as there were quite a few allegations. It’s up to the authorities to see what’s happening because now everyone is into it right from the Income Tax to the IPL Governing Council. They will come up with something really good for everyone that nothing wrong is really happening,” he said.
He also refused to speculate on the fate of IPL without its now-suspended chairman Lalit Modi.
“Lalit was part of it for the first three seasons. We have grown ... every season we came up with something better.
Don’t know what exactly will happen (without him),” he told NDTV.
Asked about the unconfirmed reports of match-fixing in IPL, Dhoni said such allegations should be handled carefully, but any wrongdoer should be punished.
“It is the worst allegation against a cricketer. If there is anything suspect or anything else, it should be handled in a very careful way. Cricketers should be punished ... game should be clean. Match-fixing earns a big time bad name for you,” he said.
Dhoni refused to dwell into the specifics of the raging controversy but hoped that things would be sorted out in time before the start of the next season.
“IPL as a brand can survive on its own. But you have to come up with some innovative ideas every time to make it better. No individual but few brains will work together to pull off sensational ideas,” Dhoni said.
“I don’t know what exactly is going to happen as there were quite a few allegations. It’s up to the authorities to see what’s happening because now everyone is into it right from the Income Tax to the IPL Governing Council. They will come up with something really good for everyone that nothing wrong is really happening,” he said.
He also refused to speculate on the fate of IPL without its now-suspended chairman Lalit Modi.
“Lalit was part of it for the first three seasons. We have grown ... every season we came up with something better.
Don’t know what exactly will happen (without him),” he told NDTV.
Asked about the unconfirmed reports of match-fixing in IPL, Dhoni said such allegations should be handled carefully, but any wrongdoer should be punished.
“It is the worst allegation against a cricketer. If there is anything suspect or anything else, it should be handled in a very careful way. Cricketers should be punished ... game should be clean. Match-fixing earns a big time bad name for you,” he said.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
This is not a fit case for JPC probe, says Manmohan
Rejecting the Opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the IPL muddle and phone tapping allegations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said he did not see a need for it.
Interacting with journalists after the defence investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Dr. Singh said “this is not a fit case for a JPC.” He was asked about the Opposition demand for such a probe into the phone tapping issue.
Dr. Singh said Home Minister P. Chidambaram had explained the phone tapping allegations in Parliament and he too had offered to come before Parliament after 3.30 p.m. if there was a sitting “but there was restlessness.”
“Can't rush”
As for the IPL issue, Dr. Singh said he did not think there was a need for a JPC probe. “JPC is a very serious issue. We can't rush to such a conclusion in haste.”
Interacting with journalists after the defence investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Dr. Singh said “this is not a fit case for a JPC.” He was asked about the Opposition demand for such a probe into the phone tapping issue.
Dr. Singh said Home Minister P. Chidambaram had explained the phone tapping allegations in Parliament and he too had offered to come before Parliament after 3.30 p.m. if there was a sitting “but there was restlessness.”
“Can't rush”
As for the IPL issue, Dr. Singh said he did not think there was a need for a JPC probe. “JPC is a very serious issue. We can't rush to such a conclusion in haste.”
"Govt. not involved in phone tapping"
After price rise and IPL irregularities, reports of phone tapping of senior political leaders provided ammunition to a united Opposition to corner the government in Parliament, which on Monday witnessed uproar and disruption of proceedings.
Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would make a statement on the issue at 3.30 p.m. but an unrelenting Opposition would have none of it. A statement by Home Minister P. Chidambaram was also drowned in the din. In both Houses, the Opposition members demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the allegations of phone tapping.
While categorically denying tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders, Mr. Chidambaram said neither the previous nor present UPA government authorised any such activity.
“After the issue of the news magazine [Outlook] was available late on April 23, 2010, the allegations in the story were thoroughly enquired into. Nothing has been found in the records of the National Technical Research Organisation [NTRO] or elsewhere to substantiate the allegations,” the Minister said in identical statements in the two Houses. However, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) termed his statement “unconvincing.” Its Polit Bureau demanded an independent probe into the matter so that the truth could be uncovered.
“Fully accountable”
Asserting that the intelligence agencies were fully accountable to the government and that they functioned within the law, Mr. Chidambaram said: “Under the Telegraph Act and the Information Technology Act, each case of monitoring of telephone or electronic communication has to be approved by the Union Home Secretary personally, and is subject to review by an Oversight Committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. Such monitoring as may be necessary to fight crime, for national security, or for our counter-terrorism effort, is subject to multiple checks and oversight.”
Reiterating that the government was committed to defending the rights of every citizen, including the right to privacy, and would uphold the rights of the citizen enshrined in the Constitution, the Minister informed Parliament that further enquiries were being made into the allegations made in the magazine. “If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies.”
“Extremely serious”
Earlier, as soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the Opposition demanded suspension of question hour and a statement by the Prime Minister. Senior BJP leader and NDA working chairman L.K. Advani described allegations of phone tapping as “extremely serious” and said the members would not be satisfied until they heard the Prime Minister.
Stating that phone tapping reports smacked of Emergency days, Mr. Advani demanded scrapping of the outdated Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and protection of the constitutional rights of all citizens. “Let there be a new law, the government cannot abuse its authority. Democracy has to be protected. We want a clear statement by the Prime Minister.”
Raise slogans
With leaders and members of the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United) trooping into the well and raising slogans, the House was adjourned twice, and for the day in the afternoon.
However, Bahujan Samaj Party members neither indulged in slogan shouting, nor rushed to the well.
Adjourned thrice
In the Rajya Sabha, members from the Left, the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the AIADMK did not allow proceedings to go on.
The House was adjourned thrice during the day and even when it reassembled in the afternoon, Opposition members continued with slogan shouting and protests. Amid uproar, Mr. Chidambaram read out his statement.
As Opposition members remained insistent on their demands, Deputy Chairman K. Rehman Khan adjourned the House for the day.
Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would make a statement on the issue at 3.30 p.m. but an unrelenting Opposition would have none of it. A statement by Home Minister P. Chidambaram was also drowned in the din. In both Houses, the Opposition members demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the allegations of phone tapping.
While categorically denying tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders, Mr. Chidambaram said neither the previous nor present UPA government authorised any such activity.
“After the issue of the news magazine [Outlook] was available late on April 23, 2010, the allegations in the story were thoroughly enquired into. Nothing has been found in the records of the National Technical Research Organisation [NTRO] or elsewhere to substantiate the allegations,” the Minister said in identical statements in the two Houses. However, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) termed his statement “unconvincing.” Its Polit Bureau demanded an independent probe into the matter so that the truth could be uncovered.
“Fully accountable”
Asserting that the intelligence agencies were fully accountable to the government and that they functioned within the law, Mr. Chidambaram said: “Under the Telegraph Act and the Information Technology Act, each case of monitoring of telephone or electronic communication has to be approved by the Union Home Secretary personally, and is subject to review by an Oversight Committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. Such monitoring as may be necessary to fight crime, for national security, or for our counter-terrorism effort, is subject to multiple checks and oversight.”
Reiterating that the government was committed to defending the rights of every citizen, including the right to privacy, and would uphold the rights of the citizen enshrined in the Constitution, the Minister informed Parliament that further enquiries were being made into the allegations made in the magazine. “If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies.”
“Extremely serious”
Earlier, as soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the Opposition demanded suspension of question hour and a statement by the Prime Minister. Senior BJP leader and NDA working chairman L.K. Advani described allegations of phone tapping as “extremely serious” and said the members would not be satisfied until they heard the Prime Minister.
Stating that phone tapping reports smacked of Emergency days, Mr. Advani demanded scrapping of the outdated Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and protection of the constitutional rights of all citizens. “Let there be a new law, the government cannot abuse its authority. Democracy has to be protected. We want a clear statement by the Prime Minister.”
Raise slogans
With leaders and members of the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United) trooping into the well and raising slogans, the House was adjourned twice, and for the day in the afternoon.
However, Bahujan Samaj Party members neither indulged in slogan shouting, nor rushed to the well.
Adjourned thrice
In the Rajya Sabha, members from the Left, the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the AIADMK did not allow proceedings to go on.
The House was adjourned thrice during the day and even when it reassembled in the afternoon, Opposition members continued with slogan shouting and protests. Amid uproar, Mr. Chidambaram read out his statement.
As Opposition members remained insistent on their demands, Deputy Chairman K. Rehman Khan adjourned the House for the day.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Modi wanted to disclose details
At the time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) row over the Kochi franchisee was hotting up, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi wanted to disclose ownership details of the league's teams but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) felt the issue was “complex and needed detailed deliberations.”
According to details put out by Headlines Today news channel on Wednesday, e-mails show how BCCI president Shashank Manohar did not allow Mr. Modi to reveal the details of team ownerships.
Mr. Modi, in his e-mail of April 14, wanted to reveal the ownership details along with names of directors of all IPL teams. He had sent the e-mail to 71 recipients and among the recipients were IPL governing council members and IPL team-owners. In his e-mail, he had said that “propriety and fair play demand we should as public body disclose ownership details along with names of directors of all franchisees once again.
Earlier, at the time of bidding, we only disclosed the names and shareholding. If everyone is okay with this we will issue the same right away, that way all doubts and aspersions being cast on IPL franchisees and members of general council will [be] rebutted.”
Among those who got the e-mail were Mr. Manohar, Vijay Mallya, N. Srinivasan, Chirayu Amin, Sunil Gavaskar, Rajiv Shukla, Manoj Badale, Mohit Burman, Sundar Raman, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and I.S. Bindra. Mr. Modi had sent a copy to ICC president-elect Sharad Pawar.
However, in his reply to the email, Mr. Manohar wrote: “Ownership issue is complex and needs detailed deliberations and legal implications need to be gone into and hence can be considered at the general council meeting where all documents and papers relating to the bids are available.”
Manohar's poser
PTI reports:
Mr. Manohar made light of Mr. Modi's move to disclosing the ownership pattern of the franchisees, wondering what he had been doing for the past three years. The ownership issues were complex matters, and nothing could be decided in haste.
According to details put out by Headlines Today news channel on Wednesday, e-mails show how BCCI president Shashank Manohar did not allow Mr. Modi to reveal the details of team ownerships.
Mr. Modi, in his e-mail of April 14, wanted to reveal the ownership details along with names of directors of all IPL teams. He had sent the e-mail to 71 recipients and among the recipients were IPL governing council members and IPL team-owners. In his e-mail, he had said that “propriety and fair play demand we should as public body disclose ownership details along with names of directors of all franchisees once again.
Earlier, at the time of bidding, we only disclosed the names and shareholding. If everyone is okay with this we will issue the same right away, that way all doubts and aspersions being cast on IPL franchisees and members of general council will [be] rebutted.”
Among those who got the e-mail were Mr. Manohar, Vijay Mallya, N. Srinivasan, Chirayu Amin, Sunil Gavaskar, Rajiv Shukla, Manoj Badale, Mohit Burman, Sundar Raman, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and I.S. Bindra. Mr. Modi had sent a copy to ICC president-elect Sharad Pawar.
However, in his reply to the email, Mr. Manohar wrote: “Ownership issue is complex and needs detailed deliberations and legal implications need to be gone into and hence can be considered at the general council meeting where all documents and papers relating to the bids are available.”
Manohar's poser
PTI reports:
Mr. Manohar made light of Mr. Modi's move to disclosing the ownership pattern of the franchisees, wondering what he had been doing for the past three years. The ownership issues were complex matters, and nothing could be decided in haste.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
I don't want to be an embarrassment: Tharoor
The former Minister of State for External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday said his decision to quit the Cabinet was “in the high moral traditions of our democratic system and in keeping with the standards” all would wish to uphold in the nation's public life.
“Today marks a new beginning for me,” he added.
The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram — who resigned on Sunday night following the Indian Premier League Kochi franchise controversy — told the Lok Sabha that he had “no desire to be an embarrassment” to the government, and believed that his departure at this stage would allow Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues to focus on the great challenges facing the nation.
Mr. Tharoor said he was deeply wounded by the “fanciful and malicious charges” against him and had requested Dr. Singh to thoroughly probe them.
“I have led an unblemished life of personal integrity and probity, and it is important to me that my name is cleared,” he said.
Reiterating that his “conscience is clear,” Mr. Tharoor said he had “done nothing improper or unethical, let alone illegal.”
The former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, who kept getting caught in one controversy or the other since the UPA-II government assumed office last year, said he was new to Indian politics but had a long record of public service, “unblemished by the slightest taint of financial irregularity.”
He said that after his long stint abroad, he returned to India because he believed in “an India of honesty and hard work, not of corruption and malfeasance…an India of openness and straightforwardness, not of hypocrisy and double-dealing.”
Some Opposition members booed him and made sarcastic remarks when Speaker Meira Kumar called Mr. Tharoor to make a statement under rule 199 to explain his reasons for quitting, but began listening to him along with the Treasury benches when he started reading.
Notably, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were absent in the House.
Clad in a white kurta-dhoti with a Congress brand angavasthram around his neck, Mr. Tharoor quoted Malayalam poet Vallathol: “When you hear the name of India, your heart must swell with pride; when you hear the name of Kerala, the blood must throb in your veins.” Mr. Tharoor said: “My heart swells with pride for India, and Keralite blood throbs in my veins.”
He said Kerala was a trailblazer for India's progress. “Its ethos, with cultural unity amidst religious diversity, high educational standards and respect for democracy, commitment to the empowerment of women and the well-being of the poor, embody the best of India.”
Mr. Tharoor paid rich encomiums to Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi, saying that they were “two of the finest public servants our country has ever had,” and that “the country is in good hands.”
“Today marks a new beginning for me,” he added.
The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram — who resigned on Sunday night following the Indian Premier League Kochi franchise controversy — told the Lok Sabha that he had “no desire to be an embarrassment” to the government, and believed that his departure at this stage would allow Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues to focus on the great challenges facing the nation.
Mr. Tharoor said he was deeply wounded by the “fanciful and malicious charges” against him and had requested Dr. Singh to thoroughly probe them.
“I have led an unblemished life of personal integrity and probity, and it is important to me that my name is cleared,” he said.
Reiterating that his “conscience is clear,” Mr. Tharoor said he had “done nothing improper or unethical, let alone illegal.”
The former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, who kept getting caught in one controversy or the other since the UPA-II government assumed office last year, said he was new to Indian politics but had a long record of public service, “unblemished by the slightest taint of financial irregularity.”
He said that after his long stint abroad, he returned to India because he believed in “an India of honesty and hard work, not of corruption and malfeasance…an India of openness and straightforwardness, not of hypocrisy and double-dealing.”
Some Opposition members booed him and made sarcastic remarks when Speaker Meira Kumar called Mr. Tharoor to make a statement under rule 199 to explain his reasons for quitting, but began listening to him along with the Treasury benches when he started reading.
Notably, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were absent in the House.
Clad in a white kurta-dhoti with a Congress brand angavasthram around his neck, Mr. Tharoor quoted Malayalam poet Vallathol: “When you hear the name of India, your heart must swell with pride; when you hear the name of Kerala, the blood must throb in your veins.” Mr. Tharoor said: “My heart swells with pride for India, and Keralite blood throbs in my veins.”
He said Kerala was a trailblazer for India's progress. “Its ethos, with cultural unity amidst religious diversity, high educational standards and respect for democracy, commitment to the empowerment of women and the well-being of the poor, embody the best of India.”
Mr. Tharoor paid rich encomiums to Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi, saying that they were “two of the finest public servants our country has ever had,” and that “the country is in good hands.”
Monday, April 19, 2010
Tharoor quits after Manmohan asks him to step down
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor, who was under a cloud for his alleged involvement in the Kochi IPL cricket franchise bid, resigned late on Sunday night.
Amid mounting political pressure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh summoned the first-time Minister to his residence after a meeting of the Congress Core Group, and asked him to step down.
An official statement from the Prime Minister's Office said: “Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of State for External Affairs, has submitted his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister has sent his resignation to the President with the recommendation that it be accepted. [President Pratibha Patil has accepted the resignation].''
Mr. Tharoor's fate was sealed at a one-on-one meeting between Dr. Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi just before the meeting of the Core Group of senior Ministers.
The Core Group that met for over two hours discussed the floor strategy in Parliament. The government faces Opposition-moved cut motions on the Finance Bill against increase in prices of petroleum products announced in the budget and against the price rise of essential commodities.
He drove in his private car into the 7 Race Course residence of the Prime Minister at 9.45 p.m., minutes after the Core Group meeting ended. He left 25 minutes later without speaking to the media.
With the issue threatening to snowball into a major embarrassment for the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance government, the Prime Minister, who returned from a foreign tour on Saturday, decided to take a call but not before giving a hearing to Mr. Tharoor. The beleaguered Minister met Dr. Singh in the afternoon for over 45 minutes and explained his role in the row.
On a day of fast moving developments, Mr. Tharoor's Dubai-based executive friend, Sunanda Pushkar, “voluntarily'' offered to surrender her sweat equity worth Rs. 70 crore in the Kochi IPL consortium, prompting the BJP to slam the move as “admission of guilt.''
PTI adds
President accepts Tharoor’s resignation
President Pratibha Patil accepted the resignation of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor from the Council of Ministers on the recommendation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
According to Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson, “The President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister has accepted the resignation of Shashi Tharoor, MoS in MEA from the council of ministers with immediate effect.”
The resignation of Mr. Tharoor was sent to the President in Pune where she is on an official visit.
Amid mounting political pressure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh summoned the first-time Minister to his residence after a meeting of the Congress Core Group, and asked him to step down.
An official statement from the Prime Minister's Office said: “Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of State for External Affairs, has submitted his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister has sent his resignation to the President with the recommendation that it be accepted. [President Pratibha Patil has accepted the resignation].''
Mr. Tharoor's fate was sealed at a one-on-one meeting between Dr. Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi just before the meeting of the Core Group of senior Ministers.
The Core Group that met for over two hours discussed the floor strategy in Parliament. The government faces Opposition-moved cut motions on the Finance Bill against increase in prices of petroleum products announced in the budget and against the price rise of essential commodities.
He drove in his private car into the 7 Race Course residence of the Prime Minister at 9.45 p.m., minutes after the Core Group meeting ended. He left 25 minutes later without speaking to the media.
With the issue threatening to snowball into a major embarrassment for the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance government, the Prime Minister, who returned from a foreign tour on Saturday, decided to take a call but not before giving a hearing to Mr. Tharoor. The beleaguered Minister met Dr. Singh in the afternoon for over 45 minutes and explained his role in the row.
On a day of fast moving developments, Mr. Tharoor's Dubai-based executive friend, Sunanda Pushkar, “voluntarily'' offered to surrender her sweat equity worth Rs. 70 crore in the Kochi IPL consortium, prompting the BJP to slam the move as “admission of guilt.''
PTI adds
President accepts Tharoor’s resignation
President Pratibha Patil accepted the resignation of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor from the Council of Ministers on the recommendation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
According to Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson, “The President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister has accepted the resignation of Shashi Tharoor, MoS in MEA from the council of ministers with immediate effect.”
The resignation of Mr. Tharoor was sent to the President in Pune where she is on an official visit.
