Unopposed and yet uncrowned

Propriety can be thrown out of the window.

N Srinivasan is all set to be elected unopposed as president during the BCCI’s 84th annual general body meeting (AGM) at the ITC Sheraton Park in Chennai on Sunday.

Forget contesting, no official even dared to file his nomination for the top post, thereby paving way for the Tamil Nadu strongman’s re-election for the third year running. This despite his son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, being named in Mumbai Police’s chargesheet in the IPL betting case.

Why, even the Supreme Court’s directive on Friday, asking Srinivasan not to take charge as president as long as it is hearing the case before it related to him and the board, seem to bother the power-hungry cement baron.

A top official dna spoke to said Srinivasan had the board’s backing. “His son-in-law has been named in the chargesheet. Have the police managed to prove Srinivasan’s involvement in the scandal? Look, once you are above 18, you are an independent person. If you were to commit a murder, will the cops come after you or will they go after your parents?” the official reasoned.

Not only did Srinivasan ensure he’d stay in power, he also ousted West Zone vice-president Niranajan Shah, the long-time chief of the Saurashtra Cricket Association. Distressed by the spot-fixing scandal, Shah had slammed the BCCI and termed the whole affair “disgraceful”. Said to be vindictive, insiders say Srinivasan made Shah pay the price for shooting from the lip and replaced him with Mumbai Cricket Association president Ravi Savant, the interim treasurer.

Arun Jaitley, the North Zone vice-president, didn’t seek an extension as the general elections are less than a year away. The BJP biggie got his confidante and Delhi and District Association colleague SP Bansal the job.

Interim secretary Sanjay Patel has won Srinivasan’s trust and the Vadodara man will continue to be the board’s ‘CEO’ (see box).

There is no clarity over the kind of powers Srinivasan will wield, but a person in the know of developments said a call will be taken only on Monday.

LIKELY OFFICE-BEARERS
President: N Srinivasan (Tamil Nadu CA)

Secretary: Sanjay Patel (Baroda CA)

Treasurer: Anirudh Chaudhry (Haryana CA)

Joint Secretary: Anurag Thakur (Himachal Pradesh CA)

Vice Presidents: Ravi Savant (Mumbai CA, West Zone), Rajiv Shukla (Uttar Pradesh CA, Central Zone), SP Bansal (Delhi and District CA, North Zone), Shivlal Yadav (Hyderabad CA, South Zone), Chitrak Mitra (Cricket Association of Bengal, East Zone)

WHAT TO EXPECT
The NCA may get a director. And Bangalore man Rahul Dravid may get the job

Major reshuffle in all major committees — IPL governing council, marketing, finance...

Junior selection committee might see a new man from the South Zone. Senior committee likely to remain unchanged

India’s tour of South Africa will be discussed

Venues for the two-Test series against the West Indies also might be decided