BCCI elections: Battle lines drawn

By Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI, SEPT 28. It is now being billed a fight between the good and the evil. What is good for one camp is obviously evil for the other and none is sure which way the wind is blowing. Bartering for personal gains has begun and it just speaks for the character of the Board that support today comes at a premium.

There is little scope for the honest and efficient it appears, as the battle lines are drawn on the eve of the annual elections of the Board. Talking of devious means to influence votes, one learns of some petty officials acting as spy agents with each camp claiming support of such dubious men.

The elections, in keeping with tradition, could produce a bitter atmosphere even though it would launch new careers, create new bonds, but also sow seeds of differences with the potential of assuming monstrous proportions some day.

The most active people in Chennai happen to be agents of shady background with only commercial interests in mind. They are the ones the Board has to guard against as it prepares for a showdown between some heavyweights of the Board.

The rival camps have had some fierce campaigning to do and nothing is being left to chance as Messrs A. C. Muthiah and Jagmohan Dalmiya face each other in a direct conflict which does not augur well for the game in the country. ``I suspect Mr. Dalmiya has been misguided by the sycophants who form his darbar,'' remarked one member, who felt a meeting between the two would not only ease the tension but create the right atmosphere for the Board to look ahead.

To deny Mr. Muthiah a third term as the Board president would mean victory for those forces who have vested motives behind the move to instal Mr. Dalmiya as the chief. ``Somehow they want to gain control of the Board, what with the money at stake. A victory for Mr. Dalmiya would be a blow to all the progressive minds in the Board,'' said a member.

The supporters of Mr. Dalmiya have been projecting him as a man of vision and someone who can take on the government and prevent interference of outside forces. ``He's very vital to maintain the autonomy of the Board. In the past too he's stood up against forces wanting to influence the functioning of the Board and none can deny the fact that he too worked hard to make the Board such a strong and independent unit,'' said a Dalmiya- loyalist.

It is now Mr. Muthiah's supporters who prefer a showdown to expose the double-faced opponent, who has little respect for traditions. ``It's nothing but a reflection of the times we are going through that people who have brought disrepute to the Board are talking of holding high offices,'' a veteran cricket official pointed out.

A Muthiah-loyalist wanted to know why Mr. Dalmiya chose a public attack on the current Board president when a similar act by a former president had invited greater trouble. ``Why should we not initiate proceedings to expel Mr. Dalmiya for his anti-Board statements,'' one member wanted to know.

The Dalmiya group was also reportedly keen on Goa being allowed to vote despite the association not having submitted its accounts, not to forget the fake-ticket printing scandal. ``Goa's act was a disgrace to the Board and no self- respecting sports body would spare such guilty officials,'' the member stressed.

The supporters of Mr. Muthiah point out his effort to streamline the running of the affairs on a professional basis. ``He's not holding back the subsidies due to the units. He's not indulged in any arm-twisting tactics to secure votes. A total of Rs. 17 crores due to various associations has been released. The rotation policy of hosting international matches has been streamlined and is not being done at the whims and fancies of one man any more. It is for all the member units to realise that there is a democratic manner in which the decisions are being taken now. Let the units, especially the smaller ones, remember that allotment of international matches is being done by rotation policy and this is what is causing great discomfort to some high- profile officials,'' the member pointed out.

Charges are being traded by the rival camps but the fact remains that the majority prefers a healthy atmosphere for the Board to function in. To blame the current set-up of contributing towards the slide in the Indian team's performance would be churlish, to say the least.

India's performance on the field has nothing to do with the Board's set-up because the players hold no grudges against the administrators. There is far more interaction between the players and the Board and the relationship between the two had never been more healthy.

The Board has taken some positive steps to improve the relationship between players and the administrators and this development should rank as one of the many gains in the last two years.

Efforts were on to reach a compromise even though one member did not rule out trouble at the venue with whispers of some officials wanting to disrupt the proceedings.

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