Birlas-Tatas tussle over Idea Cellular

The Kumar Mangalam Birla group currently holds 50.14 per cent stake in Idea Cellular while the Tatas hold 48.14 per cent.

Responding to the Birla letter to the telecom ministry, the Tata group said that no regulatory compulsion should be imposed on it, as it ‘‘needed sufficient time to reduce its holding at a fair value’’.

When contacted, Sanjeev Aga, a director in Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd (ABNL), termed the meeting between K M Birla and Dayanidhi Maran as ‘‘courtesy call’’. He did not give details.

Birla insiders, however, told The Indian Express there is no ‘‘fight’’ between them and the Tatas and they are asking the government to make the Tatas compliant with licensing norms. The Birla official did not reply to a question about the last time the Birlas opened talks with the Tatas on this issue.

The Tatas in turn sent a letter to Sarma terming as ‘‘misleading and incorrect’’ the allegations levelled by the Birlas against them. When contacted, a Tata group official said: ‘‘The Birlas have raised some issues and we have given appropriate and correct answer.’’