Twitter Shashi Tharoor gets a Taste of Twitter Lalit Modi !

Our Junior External Affairs Minister and UN ‘could have been’ Secretary General Mr Shashi Tharoor has been ‘twittering’ annoyingly and has been chided by his party, Congress several times…he yet holds on to his Ministership

His adverse and taunting Twitter comments on the Visa Policy Draft after 26/11 and on calling the Economy Class as ‘Cattle Class’ when commenting on the austerity measures had angered his Congress Party Leaders…many of who called for his scalp

Then he courted controversy again when staying in a 5 Star Hotel in Delhi instead of his allotted house…an MP who does not live by example !

I have followed Tharoor’s eloquent English on International Debate Forums and I must confess,I was disappointed….armchair stuff…not really a field worker and completely out of sync with the ground realities…simply had no pulse for and of the people….smirky arrogance was clearly my conclusion

Such a demeanour and behaviour can only emanate from one who’s well,I mean really well cushioned in life !….if you know what I mean !

Developing Proof of this is this new IPL controversy on the real Owners of the Kochi Franchise that was strongly supported by Tharoor and won the bids with a Rs 1500 crs + bid….Is this an Investing Mistake !?….this quantum of Monies !?…will the Franchise be able to recover it!…Is this a genuine Indication of True and Fair Franchise Values !?…It does not matter really what you think !…the ground reality is that such monies are being bid and paid !…Most are excited….few caution!…I’m one of those few !…..It’s always difficult to assess Intangibles…..and IPL’s,albeit growing, Brand Value is not an exception  

So I’m clearly bemused that we have the IPL Chairman,Lalit Modi locking cudgels with Tharoor over Twitter….In an ironic sense Tharoor is getting a taste of his own Twitter Medicine ! from Lalit Modi……Modi has revealed the Stakeholders of one the Consortium Stakeholders in the Kochi IPL Franchise…an interesting name is of Tharoor’s close woman friend,and rumoured to soon become his wife in his third marriage…another revelation is the granting of free equity to a few…Modi accuses Tharoor of pressurising him not to dwell too much on the identities of the stakeholders…There are rumours of Tharoor having a financial stake in the Kochi Franchise…..Tharoor denies this,saying he only spoke to Modi to inquire why he was delaying the signing of the Kochi Franchise Deal…there are strong reports that Modi favours Ahmedabad to be part of the IPL Franchise…but they had lost in the bid auction…..Kochi Franchise complained to the BCCI,accusing Modi of breaching a confidentiality clause and revealing stakeholders names on a public forum like Twitter

So it’s Modi v/s Minister

It’s a Political Battle developing…Both clearly Influential….both clearly weilding much Power…both clearly willing to misuse their Power that goes with their Position…Both with their own Cheer leader Squads…and, I daresay, even Jeer Leader Squads for each other !  

Mind you,I’m no great fan of Lalit Modi too…..For that Matter I have very strong reservations on this whole IPL Concept,Conduct and Consequences……Modi may be labelled as a Visionary for giving birth to the IPL….Entertainment created by marrying Obscene Monies and budding and not so budding Cricketers,Politicians,Cricket Administrators,Top Industrialists and Bollywood

Let me tell you the charm of a belting a ‘6’ on the field is inversely proportional to the Numbers being hit…we’ve crossed 460 so far in IPL 3…….a True Visionary has a clear view of the Consequences of Cricket as a game being Corrupted,commercially and even in Style and Form….It’s a ‘Wham,Bam Thank You Maam’ Version now that’s seducing just about everybody,that I fear I am clearly in a Minority here !…..not really bothered..I’m what I’m!…a contrarion even in Investing Style !

Mind You I’m all for making Cricket more Fun…but not by corrupting it both,on and off the field !…..Mind You I love this shortened version T-20 Concept …but I’m more turned on by Nation v/s Nation rather that concepts like IPL !….not where obscene monies and obscene auctions serve as a corrupting influence…..So when cosmopolitan Mumbai Indians beat cosmopolitan Delhi Daredevils…so what!

IPL and even the Cricket Administration in India is living this …….The Politicisation, The Arrogance,the Misuse of Power,the Blatant Crudeness and Crassness,the Bullying that comes when you’re touched with Obscene Monies is clearly evident and visible…..Top Political Leaders across Top Political Parties fight relevant elections viciously to head State Cricket Bodies in India…for their genuine Love of Cricket ! ? Nah !….Genuine Merit takes a back seat as Nepotism and Zonal Bias crop up regularly in Team Selection….Cricket Administration in India is a Can of Worms

Ofcourse enjoy the IPL Party…on Field and off it…especially the ‘after Loss’ Party nights !

….but something’s clearly not right !….what’s developing between Modi and Tharoor is merely an inevitable symptom !…auctions cancelled at the last moment…clauses changed at the last moment….probably to accomodate vested interests

….and as I end this Blog…I hear that a Congress functionary,ex journalist,promoter of Bag Films and BCCI Committee Member and Treasurer,Rajiv Shukla, has just met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi …..he denies it was to apprise her of this Tharoor v/s Modi Controversy….Our External Affairs Minister,S M Krishna too has met Mrs Gandhi….what a coincidence !Shukla says the BCCI President Shahshank Manohar has called for a Governing Council Meeting inside Ten days to deliberate on this Controversy and arrive at a final decision……so clearly you’ve not heard the last on this

IPL could well stand for the ‘Indian Political League’……and those who thrive on Controversies will ensure that this symptom of ‘Obscene Monies’ in the IPL will continue…..just think about this ….Why a leading India Player,who was removed from the captaincy of his IPL team,was clearly underperforming and has kept his options open to switch teams in IPL Season 4 next year in 2011….His Mother and Him have accused the Media for creating this suspicion!….I saw his games….there was a bored and ‘could not care less’ look about the way he went about his batting !…his contribution and to the team camadrie was negligible…just hope he performs for India in the World T-20 in the West Indies next month !

Cheers !