Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh praised outgoing MCA president Sharad Pawar; and said that he will devote enough time for Mumbai cricket if elected.
Why did you decide to contest for the MCA president post?
It is not that I was not involved with the MCA before. I want to do something for Mumbai cricket. I have a few priorities and plans for the association.
Will you be able to regularly monitor the developments in Mumbai cricket?
We have a Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC). All top cricketers are the members of that CIC. I will look at them for every cricketing decision. I will not interfere in their matters. I will leave it to the cricketers. I look at the MCA presidency as an administrative job which has to create facilities for the players and the clubs. It will be my duty to create good infrastructure.
Politicians are much maligned in sports administration. Don’t you think that the players should run the sporting bodies?
An association like MCA needs influential person like Sharad Pawar. Mumbai cricket has seen extraordinary development under him in the last 10 years. The progress is something you can see for yourself. There is no proof required. How could so much development happen under Pawar? Because he had a vision and he could utilise his good offices for the development of Mumbai cricket.
He was the chief minister and things have improved. The indoor facilities in the BKC and the Wankhede Stadium are world-class infrastructure. It could happen because an influential person like Pawar was heading the MCA.
In Mumbai, we have to create job opportunities, especially in the public sector. There are about 70-80 office clubs where the recruitment has stopped. We can use our relations with central government and different ministries to provide jobs for the Mumbai cricketers. We will have to ensure that a fresh recruitment process starts. In totality, I think a politician can do better job for important associations like MCA. That is the whole idea.
What do you think is needed to be done for the improvement of cricket in Mumbai?
As I said, I will leave the cricketing issues to the CIC. My target will be to look at all issues, not just one particular issue. My vision is to ensure that a cricketer in Mulund or Ghatkopar does not have to travel to Churchgate to play cricket.
The priority will be to create quality infrastructure at far off places. There are also issues from the maidans like Cross Maidan, Azad Maidan and Oval Maidan. We will have to renew leases of many a maidan and provide good facilities over there. For that, we need help from the government. That is why the association needs a head who can co-ordinate with the government.
You attended only one meeting in two years. As a busy minister, will you be able to spare enough time for the association?
Dilip Vengsarkar was the senior vice-president and he used to chair all the meetings. The point is that he is talking about cricketers. What has he done for them sitting in that chair for eight years? He presided over 30 meetings of the MCA. What has come out of that? Telling me that I could not attend meetings cannot be an issue. It is only in the absence of the president, that the vice-president can function. As a vice-president, I did not have much of a role.
The issue then was the completion of the stadium and the World Cup work. I did not want to interfere because I wanted everything to be completed smoothly. It does not mean that I will not be in a position to devote that much time. If people give me a mandate to perform, I will give to the association as much time that is needed.
You have got the support of Pawar. What does it mean to your campaign?
Look, I’m an independent candidate in the election. I welcome support from any and every group. I welcome the support of the Pawar’s group. It is certainly a boost for my campaign.
Do you have ambitions to go into the BCCI as well?
I have not thought so far. My immediate priority is the development of Mumbai cricket. There are three groups of members associated with the association — schools, offices and clubs. I want to strengthen the association. I will strive for their betterment.
Comments