Rajasthan Cricket Association's elections cancelled

Rajasthan-Cricket-Association's-elections-cancelled

JAIPUR: A day after the Rajasthan Cricket Association's elections slated (आलोचना कर देना) for Wednesday were cancelled, the CP Joshi camp put up a show of strength at the RCA Academy on

Sunday. Officials of 23 affiliates, most of them with voting rights, landed up at the Academy around noon and expressed support for the veteran Congressman. Given that RCA has 33 affiliates, this display clearly indicates that the majority is with Joshi, a former RCA president. However, in the RCA, the contest is never over till the last ball has been bowled.

The presence of Lalit Modi's Man Friday Rajendra Singh Nandu in the group showing solidarity (एकता) towards Joshi was of utmost significance. Nandu is the secretary of Nagaur District Cricket Association, a body which has been Lalit Modi's window into not just Rajasthan, but Indian cricket. Modi is the president of this body and conducted(आयोजित) most of his activities in the district through Nandu. Even in the worst of times, Nandu has remained loyal to Modi. His switching camp on Sunday could well spell trouble for Modi. 

With the BCCI wanting Modi out from anything remotely associated with Indian cricket, Nagaur DCA is the lifeline that gives the former IPL chairman a foothold. In case the CP Joshi faction does come to power in RCA, among the first things it will do is to remove Modi from his Nagaur seat. So, would that be the endgame(अंत खेल) for Lalit Modi as far as Indian cricket is concerned? Likely, but given the constantly changing loyalties in the RCA, nothing can be taken for granted. An official even went as far as to say that trusting Nandu not to switch sides again would be extremely naive. "He has done that in the past and there is no reason why he will not do so again," the official said. Nandu, however, said there was no going back for him as he was being ignored by the Modi faction.

Even Mehmmod Abdi, Modi's right hand, did not take Nandu's words seriously. "India is a free country and everyone is entitled to his views," Abdi said.