CTC chief steps up anti-IBM campaign

A London reseller is firing its next salvo against IBM in the form of a negative publicity campaign, following allegations that the vendor reneged on an agreement that left the dealer #250,000 out of pocket.

Chandrit Randhawa, managing director of Computer Training Centre (CTC) Heathrow, has been on a quest since 1993 to force IBM to admit it went back on its promise to honour a contract to supply systems at a 73 per cent discount.

He also maintained the vendor set up a rival operation against CTC after it refused to honour the supply contract, causing his firm to lose up to #11 million in profit.

Randhawa is planning to confront IBM management by flying to the vendor's San Francisco offices on 15 December, where he intends to hand out leaflets at the main entrance and seek an audience with IBM management.

He will also carry out a similar operation outside IBM offices in New York on 21 December.

Randhawa insisted that IBM was covering up the truth about the alleged deal and is refusing to acknowledge his grievance, forcing him to take such action.

He said he has appealed to IBM in the US to investigate the alleged cover-up.

The leaflets say: 'I have written to IBM chairman Lou Gerstner, requesting his help, but he is unwilling to help. More than 5,000 leaflets have been distributed in the UK, trying to get IBM to sue me, as I cannot afford to sue IBM,' it said.

IBM was unavailable to comment on Randhawa's action.