Weve only helped Tharoor,his team

But the reports specifically mention two ministers belonging to a party from Maharashtra that is an ally of the Congress. The reference obviously is to the NCP,and you and Sharad Pawar.

Mr Sharad Pawar is like a mentor to the BCCI,having been the BCCI president. And now he is going to take on the responsibility of ICC president in June. And to that extent,whether it is Shashank Manohar or Lalit Modi,all are there with Mr Pawars support. Its not to say that BCCI (is being controlled).

Do you believe that after Shashi Tharoor,now Modi has to go?

The BCCI is the competent authority… I am a complete outsider… I do not wish to comment on the internal functioning of the BCCI.

Pawar had earlier backed Modi…

I think Mr Pawars backing of Modi was only limited to disclosures about ownership being made… He only said that if he (Modi) has made a disclosure (about ownership),there is nothing wrong in it. In the same way,Mr Pawar also said that Tharoor backing a Kerala team was justified.

So you as well as Pawar deny any role in the IPL bids?

Absolutely. Let there be a probe.

But Tharoor contacted you more than once on IPL Kochi?

Shashi Tharoor is a good friend of mine… When there was an issue of some owners of IPL Kochi team wanting to move and had sought Mr Pawars help and even met me,Tharoor called me and said the team must remain in Kochi and that I should give him the fullest support. Not only me,Mr Pawar also spoke to Tharoor and said that we had nothing to do with the team (planning to move) out of Kochi… When this was conveyed to Tharoor,he thanked me. This was on April 8,much before this controversy broke out.

But why would the promoters want to move out of Kochi?

I dont have any answers to that. But whatever impression was given to me and to Mr Pawar,they (the team owners) are all Gujarati businessmen from Mumbai and they would be happier if the team played at a venue somewhere nearer to Mumbai. And naturally,Gujarat was the option because of their affinity to the state. And also the fact that the Kochi stadium is at least three years away from completion.

You said they got in touch with you to shift to Ahmedadad.

Mr Pawar said he had nothing to do with it. If at all there was anything,it was between the IPL and the Gujarat Cricket Association. In fact he advised them there would be more complications… he advised them to continue wherever they won the bid from… We have only helped Tharoor and his team mates.

There are reports that you and Mr Pawar actively pushed the Videocon and Adani bids?

Absolutely rubbish. If we were so interested and so powerful,then why did they not get it? Their being my friends has nothing to do with the IPL bidding process.

What about your daughters association with the IPL?

She has been associated with IPL from day one,much before IPL was what it is today. She is a young girl. It is sad to see that a junior employee is being dragged into all this politics. As far as her role is concerned… I would be happy if my friends Arun Jaitley,Srinivasan,Shashank Manohar and Rajeev Shukla comment on what she has done.

What is her role in IPL?

She is one of the many junior employees looking at hospitality and other stadium management. She is not getting any special favours. She has nothing to do with the management side of the IPL… It is absolutely slanderous that she draws a salary in crores.