Against all odds

Sir — By defeating the city’s police commissioner, Jagmohan Dalmiya has proved, beyond doubt, that, as far as the Cricket Association of Bengal is concerned, he is still the boss. (“Dalmiya defeats the empire”, July 31). Never before in the history of the CAB has the election to the post of its president generated so much heat, what with the opposition candidate being supported by none other than the chief minister himself. It is fair to say that Dalmiya’s feat is one that the political opposition in Bengal has not managed to achieve in the last three decades. The chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, should understand that it is better for him not to interfere in the matters of an autonomous sports body. Politics does not have any place in cricket. As for Bengal’s darling, Sourav Ganguly, he ought to play with a straight bat and avoid sending controversial e-mails.

Yours faithfully,
Debasish Chatterjee,
Calcutta

Sir — Jagmohan Dalmiya deserves praise for his spirited fight against an indirect attempt by the chief minister to take control of the CAB and its purse strings. Dalmiya’s success, despite political and bureaucratic pressure, implies that the game of cricket has won a major victory. Had Dalmiya lost the polls, it would have meant that Bengal cricket has capitulated in the face of the Sharad Pawar-Lalit Modi sponsored campaign to stop Eden Gardens from hosting international fixtures.

Yours faithfully,
Ashim Choudhury,
Calcutta

Sir — Although Jagmohan Dalmiya has won, he should not have fought the elections after his murky stints as president of the International Cricket Council and that of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Also, he has been at the helm in the CAB for more than a decade. He should have stepped down to make way for others who have the competence required to run the show and bring about a change in the quality of the administration in the state. Moreover, Sharad Pawar, the Union agriculture minister, has abetted the causes of farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha by neglecting his primary duties. Thankfully, Prasun Mukherjee’s defeat at the hands of Dalmiya has spared Bengal from having a police commissioner who has no time for maintaining law and order in the city.

Yours faithfully,
A.K. Das,
Calcutta

Sir — With Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee failing to get the police chief to win the coveted CAB presidentship, Sourav Ganguly’s future as an international cricketer has come to an end. It is time now for Ganguly to take off his pads or else he will be put to shame by one and all. Ganguly’s recent moves have rendered the epithet, desher gaurav, passé. However, it remains to be seen whether the chief minister henceforth keeps out of cricketing matters or not.

Yours faithfully,
T.R. Anand,
Sarangabad

Sir — Dalmiya’s victory proves that a lot of money was spent on buying votes in the recently concluded CAB polls. It also proves that good and honest administrators cannot run public enterprises since businessmen can always use their money power to influence decisions. The police commissioner, Prasun Mukherjee, has the ability to administer and head the old board and do justice to its rich heritage. But heritage can also be purchased. The time has come for Bengalis to be aware of this threat. Otherwise, heritage, too, will be bought and traded, just the way it was in this CAB election.

Yours faithfully,
Umashankar Mukherjee,
Calcutta

Sir — Bengal should appoint Dalmiya as its cricket chief in order to defeat the evil intentions of the BCCI with regard to the CAB. The controversy over cricket telecast rights involving the Dalmiya regime in the BCCI and his attempts to project himself as the patron-in-chief notwithstanding, Sharad Pawar and his team are more unscrupulous and unfair. At least, Dalmiya did not try to change the system of annual elections for the BCCI unlike Pawar who made an unsuccessful bid to hold elections every third year to ensure that he remains the president for a longer period.

Yours faithfully,
Shiv Shanker Almal,
Calcutta

Sir — The recently concluded CAB elections have proved that Jagmohan Dalmiya rules the roost in the state cricket board. However, Dalmiya’s victory cannot answer certain key questions. For instance, how far can Dalmiya go and what good can he do for Bengal cricket? The tussle between Dalmiya and the BCCI president raises doubts about the latter’s acceptability in the national board.Given the way the BCCI has kept Dalmiya busy with legal matters, one wonders how much time he would be able to give to the running of the CAB. Dalmiya’s wrangles with the cricket board will only make young cricketing talents from Bengal suffer.

Yours faithfully,
Rahul Roy,
Calcutta