The controversy over the 45.5-million-line tender of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) took a fresh turn on Saturday, with former IT and telecommunications minister Dayanidhi Maran joining the issue with his successor A Raja and alleging ?an NRI businessman with vested interests is trying to stall the tender process?.

His allegation comes close on the heels of Raja offering to quit if the charges against him are proved. BSNL staff had gone on strike alleging the minister was delaying the tender to help private players.

Maran, in a missive to the Prime Minister, said, ?I understand that a certain NRI businessman with vested interest is trying to stall the tender process so as to facilitate undue growth of the private sector operators at the cost of BSNL … and profit out of it … I kindly request the Prime Minister?s Office to immediately conduct an enquiry into these so-called allegations…? However, Maran has not named the NRI businessman.

Earlier in the day, Raja told reporters that he had only raised some questions over the BSNL tender. ?However, unions owing allegiance to the Left parties have misunderstood me on the issue … I only asked them to revise the financial bid, which will save a lot of money,? he added.

Raja, in an interview last week, had alleged that Maran had allowed BSNL to purchase equipment to provide 45.5 million cellular lines, which would have cost the exchequer Rs 10,000 crore more and asked BSNL to consider revising the financial bid of the tender.

The board of directors of BSNL is meeting on Monday to consider the minister?s request. BSNL was to award the tender to the lowest bidder Ericsson which has quoted Rs 18,500 crore.

AK Padmanabhan, national secretary, CITU, told FE that Raja?s reservations against the BSNL tender was only to aid private players. ?The tendering process was initiated in May 2006 and is still not completed. The new minister?s allegations are only to hoodwink the public. The ministry is trying to disable BSNL from competing with private firms,? he alleged. The unions have threatened indefinite strike if the issue is not resolved within 14 days.