Mumbai: Essar, the 33 per cent stakeholder in mobile firmHutch-Essar, today said it would stay put and run the business along with newmajority partner Vodafone.

"We are not going to exit the business. We will run it together,"Essar Group Vice Chairman Ravi Ruia told reporters after an over two and halfhour meeting with Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin.

The Vodafone chief said he respects Ruias-promoted Essar as partners and"will take the business forward together." "I know Ruias fromlong ago. I respect their partnership. They have created value in the business.We are now trying to iron out issues and will take the business forwardtogether," he said.

The comments follow the intense discussions between the Vodafone team and Ruiafamily led by Essar Group Chairman Shashi Ruia