Mumbai, May 31: Always proud of his home state of Jharkhand, Mahendra Singh Dhoni could well have to swallow his pride if the Sharad Pawar-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has its way at its special general meeting tomorrow.
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), which came into being in 2004 after an acrimonious battle, may lose its affiliation to the BCCI and its voting rights if Pawar and his Cabinet colleague Lalu Prasad have their way.
Though the meeting will deliberate on three other important decisions ? bringing women?s cricket under the board, extending the term of office-bearers from one to three years, and allotting funds for non-cricket sports ? the battle between the Bihar and Jharkhand cricket associations is likely to take centrestage due to the rivalry between the Pawar and the Jagmohan Dalmiya camps.
JSCA officials say the threat of de-recognition from the BCCI has a direct link with the bitterly fought election between the two camps two years ago in which the Maratha leader had to face an embarrassing defeat. JSCA, then known as Cricket Association of Jharkhand, had apparently voted in favour of Dalmiya in that election. In April this year, the nearly five-year-old dispute was referred to the board?s working committee, which passed it to the special general body.
The confusion about the real claimant dates back to the reorganisation of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Prior to the division of states, the Bihar Cricket Association, set up in 1935, was headquartered in Jamshedpur.
After the division of the state in November 2000, the BCA (1935) was dissolved and two entities were formed in January 2001: BCA (Patna), led by Lalu Prasad, and Jharkhand Cricket Association (later renamed Cricket Association of Jharkhand).
Yet another outfit, Association of Bihar Cricket, led by former cricketer-turned-BJP politician Kirti Azad, was formed later. While JSCA, led by IPS officer Amitabh Choudhary, currently enjoys BCCI membership and voting rights, the other associations, notably Lalu Prasad?s outfit, want those benefits.
When contacted, a Pawar associate said, ?You didn?t raise these questions when Dalmiya gave sudden recognition to JSCA in 2004.?
Interestingly, at the September 2004 board meeting, several of the current office-bearers were present.
