BCCI parted ways from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) citing the growing influence of family-owned business houses of Thapars and Singhanias in the functioning of the apex chamber.

BCCI claimed on Tuesday that it had already communicated its decision to quit to the chamber's secretariat and would like to continue only as an ordinary member of Assocham. When contacted Assocham president L Lakshman feigned ignorance.

He refused to comment on the development saying, "As far as we are concerned, nothing has changed as of now. If BCCI has indeed quit, we will take up the issue in our next committee meeting and formulate our stand on the issue."

An Assocham spokesman however said the chamber was persuading BCCI not to leave its fold. According to sources, BCCI hasbeen sore over the growing influence of industrialists belonging to family-owned businesses, particularly L M Thapar of Ballarpur Industries and Hari Shankar Singhania of J K Corp.

When contacted, L M Thapar told The Indian Express that the outgoing president of BCCI himself was the seniormost person in O&M, a family-oriented business. "There is no chamber where there is no conflict between the domestic industry and the MNC lobby. So I don't see why it should bother BCCI so much," he added.

Sources also ascribed the move to the recent resignation of R Raghuraman as secretary-general of Assocham. Raghuraman, who joined CII on Monday, was widely seen as a votary of the professional managers from MNCs and other domestic business houses. The differences between him and the Thapars and Singhanias as well as Lakshman were reported to have been responsible behind his ouster from Assocham. Thapar strongly denied any such differences on Tuesday. The move may be a big blow to Assocham as BCCI is one of thefive regional promoters involved in nominating the Assocham president.

BCCI is also believed to be upset over the increasing importance being given to the other Mumbai promoter chamber, the Indian Merchant's Chamber.