Sahara India Pariwar's strategic announcement in Mumbai yesterday had nothing to do with cricket.

The sponsor of the Indian cricket team and owners of the Pune Indian Premier League outfit announced a joint venture with a US-based construction company and capital group.


Subroto Roy at a city hotel yesterday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Sahara chairman Subroto Roy didn't utter a word on the ongoing drama involving sponsorship and IPL participation. Answering questions from the media, Roy lost his cool when a journalist wanted to ask Sahara's new business associates as why they chose Sahara, who are involved in a sponsorship row with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the moment.

Meanwhile, sources reveal that Roy will meetu00a0 BCCI president N Srinivasan and IPL chairman over the weekend.

Roy is likely to continue with his IPL franchise, but not Team India sponsorship. "If they sit across the table, they will be presenting views and counter-views and we will be able to reach a solution soon," he felt.