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Sharad Pawar to contest for BCCI top post

Assured of majority of votes, Mumbai Cricket Association president will reach Chennai on Saturday to file nomination

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Sharad Pawar and Jagmohan Dalmiya
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Sharad Pawar has finally decided to throw his hat in the ring for the top post of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the elections for which are slated for March 2 in Chennai.

According to highly-placed sources, the former BCCI and ICC chief will reach Chennai on February 28 with his team to file his nomination papers.

In an exclusive interview to dna on February 19, Pawar hinted that he would only announce his candidature after talking to all concerned parties by February 26. A formal announcement has not yet been made but with Mumbai Cricket Association nominating Pawar as its representative for the Annual General Meeting in Chennai, it remains just a formality.

This development has come as a blow for BCCI's president in abeyance N Srinivasan, who was planning a proxy candidate for the top post till his name is cleared from the IPL spot-fixing probe.

Since the Supreme Court's decision of January 22 to bar Srinivasan from contesting BCCI elections, Pawar has been vocal about cleaning up the game in India. "It's certainly not about me as an individual. I've occupied the highest position in the International Cricket Council (ICC). So, it's not that from that angle I'm eager to take up this position again. I just want to ensure that the game of cricket doesn't suffer any more," Pawar then told dna.

With the backing of former BCCI chief Shashank Manohar and other anti-Srinivasan group members, Pawar was waiting for the BJP to clear its stand on supporting a consensus candidate. After reportedly being assured of ruling BJP support on Wednesday evening, Pawar on Thursday reached out to veteran cricket administrator and former BCCI and ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya.

"The two discussed the present crisis in BCCI in detail amongst other things. Dalmiyaji offered full support for Sahib (as Pawar is addressed by his party men)," a Pawar group member told dna on Thursday. It was after getting assurance from Dalmiya – who controls two votes of Cricket Association of Bengal and National Cricket Club – that Pawar asked his supporters to reach Chennai on Saturday.

However, it was Pawar's meeting with PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday that paved the way for his candidature. "Both agreed that BCCI image had taken a beating because of the ongoing Supreme Court case," a source informed.

Assured of 11 committed votes, the Pawar camp was only banking on BJP support that controls eight votes – including the three government nominees, Railways, University and Services. The assurance has reportedly also come from Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association chief Rajiv Shukla's side. Shukla was the IPL chairman during Srinivasan's regime.

This could simply be translated into an understanding where Shukla would be asked to continue as IPL chief in the changed regime.

With two votes from Dalmiya also in the kitty, there is a strong possibility that Pawar might be elected unopposed as it would be difficult to imagine that anyone from Srinivasan's camp would likely challenge the Maratha strongman with such depleted strength.

"We're already assured of support of more than 21 members. You will see that one of Srinivasan's staunch supporters from East Zone will be proposing Pawar's nomination on Saturday. That simply means that we've been getting calls from more members who are likely to join us to save cricket in India," said an insider.

A phone call to Nagpur also confirmed that Shashank Manohar, former BCCI chief, will attend the Board's AGM as Vidharbha Cricket Association representative.

Supreme Court hearing today
The Pawar camp will be following the Supreme Court hearing in the contempt case on Friday closely as the Cricket Association of Bihar has moved an application for shifting venue from Chennai to Mumbai to foil any attempts to influence the vote by Srinivasan supporters.

"The BCCI headquarters is in Mumbai and it should be holding AGM there rather than at Srinivasan's home town where he can try and influence a few voters. We'll be pleading before the Court to shift the venue and also hold elections under the supervision of Justice RM Lodha," said CAB secretary Aditya Verma.

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