New Delhi, December 15: The D-day is finally here. On Saturday, All India Football Federation's (AIFF) office in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be buzzing with activity as the Indian football's governing body goes in for elections.Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, the present AIFF president will have a sleepless night as he sees the danger ahead. There is a potential threat to the post he has been holding unchallenged for 12 long years.Till about a month back, everything was fine and quite. But suddenly, like a storm, came the feelers of dissent from nine top clubs of the country. They joined hands to form Indian Premier Football Association (IPFA) even as Dasmunshi shook his head in disbelief. It was a revolt. Every one knew about it. They talked about it, and Dasmunshi, a successful politician that he is, put aside all his other works to sort out the mess.But, by then the damage had already been done. AIFF was accused of high-handedness and financial impropriety among other things. For the time being, Dasmunshi managed to wriggle out of the situation, sitting in a four-hour meeting with the `rebels'. It at least got started the National Football League going.But the actual test will be on the morrow. Samir Thapar, vice-chairman of JCT, has challenged him for the presidentship. This time things may not be all that smooth for the Congress MP from Bengal like previous years when he was elected unanimously.Thapar is a representative of IPFA and has the blessings of Vijay Mallya, the man who has decided to give soccer a facelift in India. And the `insider' who is helping him out is none other AIFF secretary KN Mour. IPFA has demanded greater say of the clubs in the administration of the game, a proper calender and revival of Federation Cup.Thapar has been promising to revolutionise Indian football. He is young and enthusiastic. But in his own backyard Punjab, where he is the president of the state unit, things haven't been as smooth with the game. In the recent years, Punjab has very less to offer in terms of tournaments and players. Most of the states having the voting rights are still loyal to Dasmunshi, while Thapar actually has to work hard to convince people. On Sunday, with fingers crossed, the football fraternity awaits the decision: Will there be a change of guard?
