Tata Group turmoil: Ratan Tata's half brother Noel Tata loses boardroom battle, what may SP Group do now?

Ratan Tata's half-brother, Noel Tata, has lost the boardroom battle, at least for now. Will he face more troubles? Will it impact the Tata Group? Will the salt-to-semiconductor conglomerate succumb to pressure and agree to list on the stock exchange? After Noel Tata's close confidante and vice chairman of the group, Vijay Singh, resigned from his office, these questions have upset India Inc. 

Noel Tata made a change in the rules of the company after Ratan Tata's death last year, making it mandatory to get every board member nominated every year after he crosses the age limit of 75. As Vijay Singh is 77, Noel Tata moved his name in the meeting of the Tata Trusts. However, it was opposed by Shapoorji Pallonji Group's nominee, Mehli Mistry, and other trustees, Darius Khambata, Pramit Jhaveri, and Jehangir. Noel Tata argued that Singh was the right choice, considering the effort and time he put in for the group. Venu Srinivasan supported the move. The proposal was defeated, and Vijay Singh resigned. 

The trustees of the opposing group wanted to nominate Mehli Mistry to replace Vijay Singh. Their move was opposed by Noel Tata and Srinivas. Upset at the development, Mistry expressed his disappointment. He said that he backed Noel Tata and helped him become Tata Trusts chairman, but Tata did not support him. 

The recent development has hinted at more troubles that the Tata Group may face. The SP Group has demanded that the Tata Trusts and Tata Sons be listed for increased transparency, something the Tata Group has always opposed. Mehli Mistry may raise the demand again and put the Tata Group in trouble. Though the Tata Group has a 66 per cent stakes in the holding company compared to 18 per cent of the SP Group, Mistry can create a problem for Noel Tata. So, the boardroom battle in the Tata House has not come to an end; rather, it may unfold many more problems in the near future.