Warring Ambani brothers may come together for prayer meet

MUMBAI: Their fight, despite a family settlement of June 2005, may have reached the Supreme Court but Ambani brothers Mukesh and Anil are expected to come together once again -- this time for a prayer meeting on their father Dhirubhai's death anniversay.
The country's richest siblings may join their mother Kokilaben at the family residence 'Sea Wind' on Dhirubhai's seventh death anniversary tomorrow, family sources indicated.

It was Kokilaben who had negotiated a settlement between the brothers after they began figting bitterly inside and outside courts just two years after Dhirubhai passed away in 2002.

Kokilaben, along with her two daughters and sons, is expected to lead the prayers.

The brothers would be coming together just days ahead of the mentioning of petitions of Anil and Mukesh's group firms by the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court judgement on a gas supply dispute.

Interestingly, the Bombay High Court while asking Mukesh led Reliance Industries to supply gas to Anil's group firm RNRL at a price much lower than that fixed by the government had asked the brothers to go back to their mother in case they failed to reach an agreement on the terms.

"Parties should enter into a suitable arrangement...or reverting back to Smt Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani who has reserved her ability to intervene again if parties fail to act upon the MoU," the High Court had ruled on June 15.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora himself has made public his feelings about the two brothers getting back together, although he evaded questions on their petitions in Supreme Court.

"I will be happy if they (Ambanis) come together," Deora had said yesterday in Chennai.

Asked about the brothers moving Supreme Court, he said: "I must study and then reply".

RNRL has moved the Supreme Court seeking a modification in the High Court order, while RIL has contended that the High Court has no jursidiction in deciding the terms -- quantity, tenure and price of gas supply -- to power plants.

As per the High Court ruling, Mukesh-run RIL was to supply 28 mmscmd of natural gas to RNRL affiliate Dadri power plant at USD 2.34 per mBtu.