MCA polls: Ajinkya Naik elected unopposed as president hours after Fadnavis and Sharad Pawar meet

Sources in the MCA said Naik was the first choice for the top post for Fadnavis and Pawar, as both wanted someone who would work daily. Sources confirmed that both leaders were also clear that other key positions, such as secretary, joint secretary, and treasurer, who run the MCA office daily, should be held by normal voters.

Later in the evening, seven candidates who had filed applications for the presidential post reached the MCA office, and withdrew their candidacies for the top post.

Former India captain Diana Edulji, BJP MLC Prasad Lad, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Ahwad, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar, Congress leader Shah Alam Shaikh, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) Minister Pratap Sarnaik’s son Vihang Sarnaik, and Suraj Samat withdrew their candidature from the president’s post.

“In cricket, we have never bought politics. Ajinkya had only been president for 11 months before, and he did good work. Be it our CM Devendra Fadnavis, state leader Sharad Pawar and Ashish Shelar, all have kept a close eye on cricket. Whatever they have decided is acceptable to us, and we will work for the development of the game,” Lad said.

Naik said, “My heart lies in cricket maidan and I will work for every player, every club, and for the bright future of Mumbai cricket.”

Ahwad said they will follow the decision made by the senior leaders. “Pawar saheb has never brought politics into cricket. The chief minister, Pawar saheb, and Ashish Shelar have decided the list, and we will go according to that,” said Lad, who will now contest for the MCA vice-president post.

When asked about withdrawing her application, Edulji stated, “It was an emotional moment; we had won a women’s World Cup. I wanted continuity to continue because of what he (Ajinkya) has done in those one year I witnessed that”.

“The amount of encouragement he has given to women’s cricket and brought women’s cricket to a certain level, I did not want to spoil that, and be a speed breaker,” she added.

Rajdip Gupta of the National Cricket Club also won the T20 chairman post unopposed.

MCA is scheduled to hold its election on November 12, and will now witness polls for vice-president, treasurer, secretary, joint secretary and nine posts in the Apex Council.

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