HC scraps 50 votes of A’bad cricket body, BJP leads Cong in bitter feud

Amit Shah’s campaign to conquer the state’s cricketing establishment for the BJP gained impetus on Friday when the Gujarat high court cancelled the voting rights of 50 donor members of the Central Board of Cricket Ahmedabad. The CBCA is controlled by a faction owing allegiance to Gujarat Cricket Association president Narhari Amin, a Congress man.  

Pronouncing the judgment, justice MR Shah directed the CBCA to hold elections within three weeks.

Dhiraj Jogani, an Amit Shah supporter, said, “The cancellation of the voting rights of 50 donor members means that we are in the majority in the CBCA.” Jogani, a former GCA treasurer, said his group accounted for 130 of the 180 CBCA members with voting rights. As for Friday’s decision, the court has told the donor members that they could move the supreme court before March 23.

The GCA secretary, Sudhir Nanavati, an advocate, said that there was no provision for a no-confidence motion in the GCA constitution, implying that the CBCA elections would have no bearing on the GCA. Nanavati cited Lalit Modi’s case to substantiate his position. Modi had lost in the Rajasthan Cricket Association election, but continues as the BCCI vice-president.

But Amit Shah said, “Once we win Ahmedabad, we will press for a re-election in the GCA,” He said the court clearly stated that the GCA elections could be held once the CBCA issue is resolved.