The highly publicised showdown between Lalit Modi and Shashi Tharoor over the franchise of the Kochi IPL team has snowballed, with the BJP demanding the PM to sack the minister of state.

Author: Jillian D'silva
Date: April 14, 2010

The highly publicised showdown between the chairman of the Indian Premiere League Lalit Modi and Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor over the franchise of the Kochi IPL team has snowballed, with the BJP demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sack Shashi Tharoor from the Union Ministry.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad asked for an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged "misuse" of authority by Tharoor to "secure" investment made by his friend Sunanda Pushkar in the IPL Kochi team, while Tharoor admitted that Kochi stakeholder Sunanda, the lady whom he is reportedly planning to marry, was his close friend and said, "Various attempts were made by Modi and others to pressure the consortium members to abandon their bid in favour of another city in a different state." Tharoor's key aide Jacob Joseph even called Modi a "convicted drug peddler".

Modi had recently disclosed the names of the free equity holders in the little-known Rendezvous Sports World (RSW) which coughed up approximately Rs.1533 crores to bag the Kochi franchise, a move that put Tharoor in a spot of bother, as Sunanda, who owns 19 per cent of the 25 per cent free equity held by Rendezvous, figured in the list.

The BJP spokesperson further said that his party is not interested either in Tharoor's personal life or in the IPL, but that Tharoor's position as minister and Sunanda's link to him puts this matter in the public domain. He also called Tharoor an "enfant terrible" of the Congress and said in reference to his controversies that Tharoor had migrated from "twitter to corruption". The BJP said that Tharoor's action was a copy book case of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, as the minister is a public servant.

After initially describing the BJP's demand to sack Tharoor as "absurd", the Congress distanced itself from the scandal, stating that the controversy was a personal affair and that Tharoor should explain his position.

The PM however said he could not go by "hearsay" and any action, if necessary, would be taken in the matter only after he checks "all the facts" regarding allegation against the Minister of State. "I have heard about these things (allegations against Tharoor). I do not have all the facts before me. When I go back (on Saturday), I will get all the facts, and in the light of those, if any action is necessary, I think that would be the proper way to proceed," Singh said, when asked about BJP's demand for the minister's removal. "I cannot go by hearsay or what is appearing in the various columns of the newspapers."

Tharoor has gotten himself into really a sticky situation, which will be difficult to wiggle out of. Although the level of Tharoor's involvement in the matter hasn't been proved yet, the controversy only brings to light the issue of politicians and government servants using the authority and power bestowed upon them for their personal gain. Can politics function without corruption and vice versa? Will there be a day where the country's administration will be completely devoid of corruption? The reformation will have to begin at the bottom of the political pyramid; with us!!