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22 July 2009

New Delhi

The country's largest generator of electricity, NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation), is now worried how the Ambani vs. Ambani feud will be affected by the government's insistence on making the fight triangular.

Anyone who has spent time supervising children at play will tell you that one kid gets isolated - or worse,  bullied - when there are three. Political opponents of the Congress allege that it is blatantly supporting the elder Ambani brother.

The ramifications are, of course, wider than the childhood rivalry of two rich brothers. NTPC has an agreement with RIL, the Mukesh Ambani gas 'contractor' (as the government calls it), to supply gas to it, under terms identical to Anil Ambani's. It had signed this deal in preference to a deal with Qatar. 

Now the legality of the deal is up for grabs, and it will be difficult for the courts to distinguish the nature of NTPC's gas supply from that of the junior Ambani.  The Supreme Court has asked for a special bench to be appointed in the matter, which will now go up for hearing after September 1.

Crank up orders at those generator plants, some one.