Defending his innings on a sticky pitch over the IPL controversy, a “proud” Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor today hit back saying his detractors are not happy to see the “triumph of Kerala”.
Amid vociferous protests of opposition leaders and after repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor refuted all charges trying to evoke emotions while scoring political points: “The unexpected success of the Kerala consortium was apparently not acceptable to some interested parties. This has led to a number of public insinuations about the composition and ownership of the consortium, and of my role in it. I am proud to have helped the consortium come to Kerala.”
Tharoor also hit out at IPL commissioner Lalit Modi saying, “The unethical efforts to thwart the Kerala franchise are disgraceful. They are also dangerous to the health and credibility of a sport that has captured the passions and the loyalty of a majority of Indians. Indeed, such behaviour brings the IPL itself into disrepute. ”
On the issue of his partner Sunanda Pushkar getting equity worth Rs 70 crore as sweat equity, Tharoor resorted to the Rendezvous Sports World statement that “sweat equity” was issued to its associates in lieu of a salary.
The statement read out by Tharoor was drafted with the help of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s trusted lieutenants Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony. But top party sources suggest that the cloud over the flamboyant minister has not passed yet because the final call on his survival in the council of ministers will be taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
After meeting the party chief for five minutes on Thursday, Tharoor will meet the PM on his return to India. The prime minister will be back in Delhi from Brazil on Saturday. A top Congress leader told Business Standard, “Many things will depend on how the opposition react. If there is too much pressure, the PM might have to expel him.” Several members of the opposition parties, SP, BSP and RJD stuck to their demand asking Tharoor to resign even after his clarifications leading to the final adjournment in the Lok Sabha.
The Congress party has already made it clear that he has to defend himself in this issue. After instructing him to furnish all facts and details about his involvement in the IPL franchisee auction the party has also told him clearly that if facts are later proved otherwise, he will have to quit the minister’s chair.
Opposition unlikely to let Tharoor off the hook easily
Though External Affairs Minister Shashi Tharoor furnished a statement refuting all charges, the Opposition parties are in no mood to let him off the hook easily. To embarrass the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to demand the prime minister’s explanation on why Tharoor will not be sacked.
