M A I N   N E W S

Intense lobbying for top BCCI post

Kolkata, September 28
Suspense, high drama and intense behind-the-scene lobbying seem to be the key ingredients as political heavyweight Sharad Pawar is expected to take on incumbent Jagmohan Dalmiya’s nominee Ranbir Singh Mahendra in elections to the post of president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tomorrow.

A five star hotel in South Kolkata has emerged as the centre of activity with both camps pitching tent there to chalk out their election strategy.

A last-minute compromise between the two factions, however, is not ruled out.

The elections to the posts of president, secretary, vice-presidents (five), joint secretary and treasurer top the agenda on the opening day of the two-day BCCI annual general meeting tomorrow, when the national selection committee would also be reconstituted.

But all eyes are focussed on the election to the prestigious post of president with Maharashtra strongman Pawar throwing his hat into the ring.

The elections assume greater significance in view of the telecast row which has dragged the board to the court and for which Dalmiya’s rivals have been blaming him.

Pawar, who arrived here yesterday, has been holding a series of closed-door meetings with his loyalists and supporters to woo voters.

Pawar, who heads the Mumbai Cricket Association, however, is yet to formally announce his candidature, but has the backing of Dalmiya’s old rivals - former BCCI president I.S. Bindra of Punjab and former president Raj Singh Dungarpur of the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

The Punjab Cricket Association announced two days ago it would nominate Pawar for the post of president since it is the turn of the north zone to propose a candidate for the top post.

Dungarpur has also gone on record claiming that Pawar would get at least 18 votes out of a maximum 31 thus ensuring his win.

Against Pawar, Ranbir Singh has announced his candidature for presidentship and has also expressed confidence of victory.

“I am contesting for the post of president and am quite hopeful to get the required numbers,” Ranbir Singh, who arrived here last night, told PTI today.

It was learnt that the Dalmiya group would be fielding incumbent secretary S.K. Nair for re-election with Brijesh Patel and Jyoti Bajpai for the posts of joint secretary and treasurer, respectively.

Meanwhile, BCCI incumbent president Jagmohan Dalmiya held a surprise closed-door meeting with Punjab’s I.S. Bindra this evening in a last minute effort to reach a consensus to avoid an election for the post of president of the cricket board tomorrow.

Confirming the meeting Raj Singh Dungarpur of the Cricket Club of India said efforts were on to, “reach an understanding”.

Keeping his options open amidst intense lobbying for the president’s post Mr Pawar said he would take the plunge only if he was sure of victory.

“I have not taken the decision myself. Some of my well wishers have been asking me to contest. But I will contest only if I am sure of a win,” Pawar told newsmen on the eve of the election.

He, however, refuted the comments of the rival camp that politicians should not come into sports bodies saying “I am associated with many sports bodies for the last 35 years, but I never bring politics into sports”.

Emphasising that politicians should not get involved in sports bodies, Mr Ranbir Singh said he has been working for the BCCI for the last 30 years in various capacities and is currently its vice-president.

“There should not be any involvement of politicians in cricket,” he said.

Meanwhile, veteran Congressman Kamal Morarka also a Rajya Sabha member, sounded a veiled warning to Mr Pawar, saying, ‘’If anyone outside north zone contests the presidential election then count me in the fray’’.

“This is north zone’s turn to give a president to the BCCI and should be strictly limited to it,’’ he said. — PTI, UNI