The Board of Control for Cricket in India has summoned a special general meeting in Mumbai on May 22 to elect a new president following the resignation of incumbent and new International Cricket Counc
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has summoned a special general meeting in Mumbai on May 22 to elect a new president following the resignation of incumbent and new International Cricket Council chairman Shash-ank Manohar.
Sitting secretary Anurag Thakur is tipped to take over the post for the one year of the presidency remaining, Jagmohan Dalmiya and Manohar being the previous two in the post.
According to sources, there major reason for Thakur emerging as the front-runner was that the other contenders do not want to step in for what is essentially an interim presidency and are keeping their powder dry for next year when the full three-year term comes up for election.
The name of Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke has also cropped up in this connection. Indications though are that a contest will be avoided if possible with Shirke moving into the secretary’s post in preparation for next year’ full-term election which is also likely to see current IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla throw his hat in the ring.
As per convention, the contestants will need to be nominated by East Zone, and Thakur seems to have a majority of the six zonal units that include Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Assam locked down.
Thakur, a three-term member of Parliament from the ruling BJP, will also have to step down as secretary as a precondition to stand for the president’s post. The new president will then choose the new secretary, which is functionally the pivotal post in the cricket control board.
Among other tasks, the BCCI secretary will have to manage the upcoming implementation of the Lodha committee’s recommendations, some of which challenge the existing structure of the body.
Speculation suggested this was one of the reasons why Manohar made way early and opted to shift over to the ICC.
If he is indeed elected on May 22, Thakur, at 41, will become the BCCI’s youngest ever president. The late Madhavrao Scindia was 45 when he was took charge in 1990.
