We’re all back on the same page: Mukesh Patel

Parinee Developers chairman Mukesh Patel, one of the biggest investors in the Kochi consortium, tells DNA that the managing committee of the franchise will take a final decision on whether or not to avail the services of Sunil Gavaskar. Excerpts from the interview.

Did you expect the BCCI to give a go-ahead after all the reports of controversies and infighting?
At the outset, I wish to say I’m absolutely delighted. Everyone in the consortium is happy. As a key member of the consortium, I share their feelings. In any partnership, business or family, differences of opinion are natural and inevitable. So all reports of infighting were not only exaggerated but also unfounded. There were no issues, only a few differences. We finally resolved those differences.

What is that one factor that unified all partners?
Every human being commits mistakes and if a man does not commit mistake, God makes him commit a mistake so that he can correct himself. Everyone had his own understanding of the issues. I tried to explain to them the priorities. Once that message was successfully sent across, there were no problems. It was a clear cut decision.

Was there a stage when you thought the team was gone?
Never. I never said that nor did I believe that the team was slipping out of our hands. There were no major issues and the internal differences inevitably were to be resolved.

For the first time in eight months, a Kochi team owner is giving an interview. Why was it that the team owners chose to manage things from behind the scenes?
It was not a conscious decision. What was the need to talk about it till everything was not finalised? We were just waiting for the final go-ahead from the BCCI.

You won the bid for Rs1,550 crore. Do you think such money makes business sense?
See at this stage, I cannot answer this question. That can be answered only in due course of time.

Lalit Modi said he was trying to explain to the investors that 25% sweat equity was unsustainable…
I don’t think that was right. Lalit Modi never gave any such advice. Nor did I ever meet him. Seeking advice from Lalit Modi was never our priority.

But how did you initially agree for 25% sweat equity and then backed out?
See, we thought some people needed to be paid for their work and efforts they put in. But I agree that led to some kind differences among the partners. And that was the reason for all this uncertainty.

So you say Rendezvous group is happy with the final settlement of 10%?
One hundred per cent. Only after we’ve resolved our differences, we submitted the MoU (memorandum of understanding) to the BCCI. I can say with authority that we are all on the same page. Unless we’re united, we can’t run the team successfully. Everyone in the consortium is aware of it. The Kochi consortium partners are united. That is my message to the world.

Will you utilise the expertise of Sunil Gavaskar?
That will be a decision of our managing committee. We will have to prepare a business plan and then we will decide whose services should be utilised.

Where will the matches be held? There is a talk that you want to shift the matches to Ahmedabad?
I’m not the one to answer this. That will be a decision made by BCCI. My understanding is that it is the discretionary power of the Board.

Will Shashi Tharoor continue to be the team’s mentor?
What can I say on this? Mr Tharoor himself has declared that he is the mentor of the team.

What is the way forward?
The roadmap is to stay united and take the team forward. We have to ensure that this team succeeds. We have to build a solid team on and off the field.