(MENAFN- IANS) Mumbai, July 16 (IANS) More than cricket and maidan administration, Politics will play a bigger role in the election for Mumbai Cricket Association's President, to occupy the post vacated due to the demise of incumbent Amol Kale in the USA during the T20 World Cup last month.
In contention are current secretary Ajinkya Naik and Vice-President Sanjay Naik, whom are expecting to find favour from the 375 voting members of MCA in the polls on November 23, and both of them enjoy strong Political patronage.
Sanjay Naik is considered close to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer and Mumbai BJP leader Ashish Shelar while Ajinkya Naik is close to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and is reported to have the direct blessings of party supremo Sharad Pawar, himself a past president of MCA, BCCI and ICC.
The contest could have been more politically intriguing but a couple of heavyweights decided not to file nominations because of recent MLC elections. They included Prasad Lad and Milind Narvekar – close aides of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, respectively.
On the last date of filing nominations, besides the two Naiks, MCA's T20 League chairman Vihang Sarnaik along with Congress leader Bhushan Patil were in the fray.
On the last day of withdrawal on Tuesday, only Ajinkya and Sanjay Naik remained in the fray as Congress leader Bhushan Patil withdrew from the race while the MCA tlelection officer declared Vihag Sarnaik as ineligible to contest.
That set up an intriguing battle between the two Naiks, who have shared a tumultuous relationship in the current executive committee, turning from friends to foes.
When he was elected as secretary last year, Ajinkya Naik was considered close to Ashish Shelar. But he switched sides to the Sharad Pawar camp, causing animosity to develop between them. Shelar is putting all his might behind his close aide Sanjay Naik to get even with Ajinkya for switching sides.
There is more intrigue to this political fight as Ajinkya, who banking on his standing among the club secretaries and players on the maidan, has also got tacit support of Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who wants to keep Shelar's close aide from getting important post. As his aides could not get into fray because of Legislative Council elections, Fadnavis is reportedly giving tacit support to someone from the opposition to cut his party colleague to size. Also, the late Amol Kale was quite close to Fadnavis and considered his man in MCA. It is said that Amol Kale enjoyed a good rapport with Ajinkya Naik.
MCA watchers feel Ajinkya Naik has a good chance of winning in this two-way contest.
On Tuesday, Ajinkya spoke to the media during a Meet and Greet organised by his supporters and said merit will decide the outcome of the election. He said the work he has put in as secretary will help him in the election.
"I have put in a lot of good work along with Amol Kale, who passed away on June 20 in the USA. We made MCA first state body to give the same remuneration as BCCI to our Ranji Trophy players. If elected, I will work for local cricketers, groundsmen and the umpires and scorersvetc. I will also try and improve the cricket infrastructure in Mumbai region by helping in build a new international level stadium," said Ajinkya, who called the election a sad occasion as it is because of Kale's untimely departure.
Interestingly, if Ajinkya Naik wins the elections on July 23, it may necessitate another election to pick a new secretary.
That could lead to another round of dirty politics in one of the strongest and most influential members of BCCI.
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