Nervous NCP plays a straight bat

While the Congress has had a hostile relationship with Modi for his proximity with BJP leaders,especially Vasundhara Raje,the IPL Commissioner enjoyed the confidence of the NCP chief who recently justified Modi’s decision to make public the names of stakeholders of Kochi franchise.

On Thursday,NCP leaders,who refused to be quoted,were at pains to explain that the Congress was “mistaken” about Pawar backing Modi.

NCP leaders claimed they had cautioned Modi against “antagonising” the Congress when the IPL Commissioner had decided to take on Union Minister C P Joshi in the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) elections last December. They claimed that even Pawar was “unhappy” with Modi for the latter’s “arrogance” and “personalised style of functioning”. Six months back,said NCP leaders,Pawar had told Modi that all norms set by the BCCI had to be “strictly followed”.

NCP chief spokesman D P Tripathi sounded quite indulgent towards the Congress as he denied that the ongoing controversy could jeopardise the relationship between the two parties. “The Congress as a political party has correctly stated the position that as far as cricket is concerned,let organisers handle it. Congress has been very straight from the very beginning,” said Tripathi. Asked if the Congress was gunning for the NCP,he said,“I don’t think the Congress is doing that. Mr Pawar is strong enough to handle the situation. We have no issue with the Congress.”

Congress leaders also maintained that the current controversy would have no impact on their relationship. “In fact,one month later,the relationship between the Congress and the NCP will be much better than ever before,” a Congress general secretary said with a cryptic smile.

Late on Thursday,Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and briefed him on the ongoing IPL row.