In a sudden reversal of events, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly has emerged the frontrunner for the post of the BCCI president. According to multiple reports, quoting BCCI official sources, Ganguly became the consensus candidate after stiff resistance from multiple quarters against Brijesh Patel—assumed to have the strong backing of Tamil Nadu's N. Srinivasan. "Yes, Brijesh was running for the president's post with Srinivasan actively lobbying for him. However, there was stiff resistance against him. We are happy Sourav is the new president," a senior official from a northeast-affiliated unit, told PTI. 

“Finally, the decision was taken to bring Sourav on board. He will have just 10 months as president but he has a lot of experience as an administrator, considering he’s efficiently headed the Cricket Association of Bengal. Moreover, under the COA, cricket has suffered badly, so someone like Ganguly will be instrumental in putting things back together,” sources told Times of India. 

It was widely assumed that Ganguly would not get the post after he met with Union Minister Amit Shah at his residence in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI reported late yesterday night that the former India captain was non-committal in joining the BJP and campaigning for them in the 2021 state assembly elections. That, the agency then reported, reversed the decision in favour of Patel. Amit Shah's son Jay Shah will be the new secretary while, Arun Dhumal will be the new treasurer. Dhumal is younger brother of MoS Finance and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur.

Patel could become the IPL chairman. When the new office bearers assume office, it will end a 33-month term of the Committee of Administrators, which called shots in running the cricket affairs in country post Lodha Committee reforms. Former India coach Anhsuman Gaekwad beat Kirti Azad to be elected as male ICA representative on BCCI's nine-member Apex Council. Shanta Rangaswamy was earlier elected unopposed as female ICA representative. Ganguly will have to demit his CAB president post in September, 2020 as he will go into compulsory cooling off period.

-Inputs from PTI

TAGS

Disclaimer: Comments posted here are the sole responsibility of the user and do not reflect the views of THE WEEK. Obscene or offensive remarks against any person, religion, community or nation are punishable under IT rules and may invite legal action.