Calcutta: For 15-odd minutes, Sharad Pawar and Rajeev Shukla were seated in the same room, a few feet apart, in what traditionally is the home team's dressing room at the Eden.

That was around 2.15pm, on Monday, after both had placed wreaths on Jagmohan Dalmiya, who passed away while occupying the Board president's chair for the second time.

Also under the same roof was Shashank Manohar.

Like Pawar, Manohar is a former president of the Board. Shukla's been a vice-president and is currently the IPL chairman.

Keeping the trio company were Chitrak Mitra (a former vice-president of the Board) and Subir Ganguly, a joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

That Pawar, Shukla and Manohar were just metres away from each other made for a fascinating sight.

Why?

Because, according to The Telegraph's sources, both Pawar and Shukla are "extremely keen" to succeed Dalmiya.

Then, if Pawar doesn't find much support, he could instead propose Manohar's name. That possibility cannot be ruled out.

As the Board is faction ridden, anybody with even a couple of votes is a man who has to be wooed strongly.

Right now, Board secretary Anurag Thakur, thanks to his close ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, appears to be in the strongest position.

An individual associated with the party in power at the Centre (Thakur is a BJP member of the Lok Sabha) usually stands heads and shoulders above the rest.

It's the numbers game, after all.

Could Thakur think of having a go himself at the No.1 position in the Board?

Dalmiya hadn't been in the best of health for the past few months and, so, Thakur had effectively been discharging two responsibilities. He could have developed a liking for the president's job.

In the Board, it's best not to write off any eventuality, especially at a time when things are fluid.

Pawar and Narayanswami Srinivasan, Dalmiya's predecessor as the Board president, have votes too.

So, any aspirant would need to get the assured backing of the BJP and either the Pawar or the Srinivasan factions.

In other words, the endorsement of two of the Big Three.

Shukla is a Congressman, but has an excellent rapport with Arun Jaitley, arguably the most influential in Modi's cabinet.

Pawar, on the other hand, isn't on back-slapping terms with Jaitley, but is understood to have a good equation with Amit Shah, the BJP president.

Jaitley would probably have the biggest say in matters cricket, but if anybody has Shah's support, then it's unlikely that he'd throw the proverbial spanner in the works.

Who would Srinivasan put his weight behind - assuming he can't field a candidate from his own faction?

Shukla, perhaps, as he's not seen as strong-headed as Pawar. Less controversial as well.

But, really, it could all come down to who offers Srinivasan a better deal.

Srinivasan would largely like two assurances: That he continue as the Board's nominee for the International Cricket Council's chairmanship and, secondly, that the Chennai Super Kings be protected.

It has, understandably, been muted, but the aspirants seem to have begun the push to seek the backing of the men who matter.

The situation could become clear by this weekend.

Thakur, in any case, has to call a Special General Meeting (SGM) "within 15 days" to fill the vacancy caused by Dalmiya's demise.

But what if the issue of whether Srinivasan is eligible to attend the Board's meetings isn't addressed by the Supreme Court before the SGM?

The Board, clearly, has this habit of shooting itself in the foot. The Srinivasan-specific call ought to have been taken by Dalmiya, on August 28.