'Proud' Tharoor tweets in Kochi's IPL joy

NEW DELHI: Minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor on Sunday claimed his ‘mentoring’ of Rendezvous Sports World Ltd — a five-member consortium of real estate agents and builders from Delhi’s Moti Nagar to Mumbai which won the bid for Kochi in the IPL auction — as one of his major achievements.

Mr Tharoor, who attempted to invoke ‘Kerala pride’ — the Kochi team, would have mostly players from other states and cricketing nations — after his success in getting Kochi to join the league of 8 IPL cities along with Pune for Season 4, got handsome praise from IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

Mr Modi put on record his ‘appreciation’ for the minister for ”helping Kerala to have a team of its own.” Rendezvous had emerged as a surprise package in the IPL bidding for two new teams. Rendezvous Sports bid $333.33 million for Kochi.
This is the first time that a politician, and that too a minister at the Centre, has openly associated himself — though in a mentoring capacity — with the commercial part of a sporting activity. Rendezvous has refused to divulge the companies that are part of the consortium. Its spokesman said the company would not divulge its details at this point.

Mr Tharoor’s ‘unofficial’ association with the sporting company has already raised eyebrows. At a time when his party considers everything other than ‘aam admi’ issues irrelevant, the minister’s dalliance with cricket is certain to attract attention.

But Mr Tharoor, a veteran of many controversies. is unfazed. On Sunday evening, he took to Twitter to explain his side of the story. He clarified that he was not part of the bid but was pleased to give this venture his “encouragement and blessings.” “I am not part of the bid but was pleased to give Rendezvous Sports World my encouragement & blessings. My interest is in transforming Kerala,” Mr Tharoor tweeted on the social networking site.

“Congratulations to all Kerala cricket lovers on news that 1 of the 2 new IPL teams will be based in Kochi,” wrote Mr Tharoor, a cricket buff and a co-author of a book on cricket. “Cricket will inspire all Keralites,” he added.

“All I did on my part was to offer encouragement, blessings and expert advice when required by the bidders. Beyond that, I had no role to play. I understand it’s a business decision,” Mr Tharoor told journalists in Kochi.