Published: Jan 05, 2017, 11:13 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 05, 2017, 11:13 PM (IST)
George RR Martin can possibly take a leaf out of BCCI’s power struggle to help complete The Game of Thrones. With Supreme Court removing BCCI’s President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke, the power struggle takes a new twist. It seems a circle has turned full with N Srinivasan calling a meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday to discuss the future course of action for the BCCI. A report from Indian Express states that the meeting is likely to be attended by renowned administrators like Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) secretary Kasi Viswanathan and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary Brijesh Patel.
The entire controversy saga began under Srinivasan’s regime with the IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal breaking open the Pandora’s Box. Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Srinivasan-owned Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are two sides who are facing IPL ban as per the SC orders. The administrator who was also at the helm of BCCI faced charges of conflict of interest and his son-in-law Gurunath Meyiappan was found guilty of involvement in spot-fixing. It will be surreal if Srinivasan returns to a senior administrative position in the headless Indian cricket board. The Tamil Nadu business tycoon is 72 years-old.
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As per the Lodha Committee recommendations accepted by the court, “A person shall be disqualified from being an Office Bearer if he or she : (a) Is not a citizen of India; (b) Has attained the age of 70 years; (c) Is declared to be insolvent, or of unsound mind; (d) Is a Minister or government servant; (e)Holds any office or post in a sports or athletic association or federation apart from cricket; (f) Has been an Office Bearer of the BCCI for a cumulative period of 9 years; (g) Has been charged by a Court of Law for having committed any criminal offence.”
The report mentions a source informing that the former ICC and BCCI chief is immensely powerful in the country’s cricket fraternity and according to a source, the former ICC and BCCI chief still has significant clout in the Indian cricketing fraternity. The meeting is likely to be attended by the aforementioned bigwigs.
Srinivasan’s emergence as a prominent figure, who will pave the path for BCCI yet again comes as a jolt.
Many senior administrations have decided to follow the SC’s order to ‘fall in line’
“The administrators will take charge (after January 19) but to implement the Lodha reforms they will have to change the BCCI constitution, which requires a three-fourths majority. As things stand now, at least 17 state associations will still say ‘no’ to the changes. So I don’t know how the changes would be ushered in,” a former BCCI office-bearer was quoted in the report.
Saurashtra Cricket Association’ (SCA) Niranjan Shah said, “There’s no need to resign. The court order makes us ineligible. So I’m already out.”
