NEW DELHI, AUG 31: When Prakash Padukone's rebel Badminton Association of India merged with the parent body not so long ago, it appeared that peace would finally return to the badminton fraternity of the country. Not quite so. Players heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that Padukone, as the executive president of the new body, would ease their problems. But, sadly, that is not the case.However, Bhattacharjee himself does not have too many complaints. He is quick to add, ``But the people from the east who stood by us all while, do have a reason to feel let down.'' A similiar sort of dissent is beginning to crop up in other states as well, like Uttar Pradesh where, too, the feeling of being marginalised has crept into the minds of a few Padukone loyalists.The merger itself has been very beneficial for the game, Bhattacharjee feels. ``Now the players do not have to worry about getting entry into international tournaments and making the travel arrangements by themselves. The BAI does all that.''However, this facility is enjoyed mainly by the players of the BPL Academy in Bangalore, to which P Gopi Chand and Aparna Popat belong. Bhattacharjee reluctantly agrees that the players outside this academy still have to struggle like the way they did earlier. ``We will have to do something to sort out this problem.'' Even sponsors have not been too forthcoming. ``At least not to the extent we expected when Prakash took over as the executive president.'' Although Gopi Chand and Aparna have been doing fairly well in recent times, Bhattacharjee feels BAI will have to use other methods to pull in money. ``Sponsors want something more and we will have to find out what it is.''
