Vengsarkar takes on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Cricket Association polls: News Update
In a recent affair, former Indian captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dilip-Balwant-Vengsarkar-c54093 entered into a bout with the union rural development minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, after enlisting his nomination for the post of president for the Mumbai Cricket Association.
The elections are schedule to take place on July 15, 2011 and will be a two way contest between Vengsarkar, and Deshmukh for president’s designation currently held by National Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar.
At present, both Vengsarkar and Deshmukh hold the post of vice-president for the association.
Vengsarkar, who expressed his confidence for the win, holds a strong backing of the Indian political party, Shiv Sena. The party officials expressed their concern over Deshmukh’s nomination and stated that there is no room for politicians in cricket.
“Owing to politicisation in cricket administration, players have been distanced from administration. Have politicians like Sharad Pawar and Vilasrao Deshmukh ever held a cricket bat?” stated Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray.
Deshmukh, on the other hand holds the support of Pawar’s Bal Mahaddalkar group. Pawar failed to stand for his sixth term after changing his residential status from Mumbai to Baramati due to political reasons.
However, according to reports, Vengsarkar’s hopeful triumph at the polls may bring an end to a political regime at the association.
For the past 50 years, the Mumbai Cricket Association has been led by politicians, rather than sporting veterans. First it was former Indian wicketkeeper, Madhav Mantri, who was eventually defeated by politician http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajit-Laxman-Wadekar-c42461,
ex Indian skipper, was defeated by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sharadchandra-Govindrao-Pawar-c89751.
It is for this reason that Vengsarkar has earned the support of Shiv Sena which intends to eliminate politics from the sport of cricket.
Other contestants include http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Chandrakant-Sitaram-Pandit-c49623 on the other hand will stand for
joint secretary’s post.
It is yet to be seen and decided which ever of the two secures the reigns of the Association. However, for now, one may see another episode of political intervention in cricket.
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