Tata blames rivals for fanning Singur fire

Acknowledging that Tata Motors' bid to acquire land for a new plant in Singur, West Bengal, had been caught in "a political quagmire," Tata group chief Ratan Tata has blamed unnamed competitors for fuelling the controversy.

"Let me just say, this is not just political. I happen to know that some of our competitors are also fuelling some of this fire and would be very happy if the project got delayed," Tata told news channel NDTV 24x7 in an interview that will be telecast on Saturday.

Tata Motors' project is mired in controversy over acquisition of agricultural land and alleged forcible eviction of farmers. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee is sitting on a hunger strike that has entered its 24th day.

In the interview, which may fan the controversy further, Tata resolved not to pull out of Singur. "If I believe that this is being manipulated and turned around to meet some specious cause, then I think, what I would do is to dig my heels in. I'm the sort of person who, if you put a gun to my head, you can pull the trigger or take the gun away, but I won't move my head."

On the other burning issue "� Tata Steel's bid to acquire Anglo-Dutch steel company Corus "� Tata seemed determined not to get carried away.

Dubbing "unfortunate" the bidding war with CSN of Brazil, Tata said, "There is a limit to which one might consider the enterprise value to be."

He made it clear that the group could only set a price level that made "strategic sense and doesn't endanger or jeopardise the strength and health of our own shareholders."

The driver, he said, was synergy and not mere ambition. "First of all, it's not an ego issue and it's not an issue of winning. It's not an issue of being the fifth largest steel company either. What drove me and Tata Steel to look at the acquisition was that strategically and in terms of synergy, we had an opportunity unequalled."

Touching upon the issue of who might succeed him in 2012, Tata said it need not necessarily be someone with the same surname as his. "The successor would be named probably a year before I retire..."

About whether it would be someone from the family, he said, "It doesn't have to be. I am not saying he is or is not. I don't think the choice will necessarily be confined to that."