“I would be lying if I said I do not have a contingency plan,’’ BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said today referring to the controversy over telecast rights. The contingency plan unfolded in the evening. A member of the BCCI board, it is learnt, was asked to inform Prasar Bharati Corporation CEO K.S. Sarma to be on the standby, as Zee Telefilms Limited’s Board of Directors met and decided against re-bidding. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on Thursday.ESPN-Star Sports (ESS) had challenged the BCCI decision to award telecast rights to Zee after the cricketing body gave them to the highest bidder.At 7 pm, Sarma said: ‘‘You will perhaps get to watch the matches on fuddy-duddy DD.’’ By 9 pm, ‘‘We have not received any message from BCCI. Till the court takes a final call, no party can move forward.’’ A view shared by Zee officials who said, till the case is dismissed the rights cannot be awarded to anyone. ‘‘Besides, we already have paid up $20 million as bank guarantee,’’ Zee corporate communications vice-president Ashish Kaul said. While Zee is awaiting the outcome, this is the contingency plan. BCCI is toying with the idea of getting the India-Australia series, from October 6, produced by production houses that include TWI and Ten Sports. The plan is to produce the first two series with Australia and South Africa.
