Muthiah elected BCCI president

Bindra, accompanied by Hyderabad Cricket Association HCA secretary Ranga Reddy and Lalit Modi Himachal Pradesh walked out as Reddy, having a court order supporting him and 15 executive committee members led by former Test cricketer Shivlal Yadav, was denied the right to represent HCA in the meeting.

Another bone of contention for the Bindra group was that HCA, which was from the South and had the right to propose the candidate as it was its turn for presidentship now, was not allowed to do so.

The principle of rotation has been given a go-by in the past. Bindra himself, holding the post of Punjab Cricket Association president, had got elected as BCCI chief from West Zone.

With Muthiah succeeding Raj Singh Dungarpur as BCCI chief, Ram Prasad, president of the Karnataka Cricket Association, was elected vice-president from South Zone. AN Singh Bihar-East, CK Khanna Delhi-North and Kamal Morarka Rajasthan-Central and Manohar Mumbai-West retained their posts as vice-presidents.

With so much drama taking place, other important issues like selection committee composition and contentious issue of TV rights were put off till tomorrow.

While staging the walkout, Bindra told reporters 8220;all appropriate steps, including legal, would be taken to maintain the dignity of the board and preservation of democratic norms in it8221;.

The legal process has already begun with a local court issuing an order withholding the announcement of the board election results till September 23 when the hearing on the representation from Hyderabad Cricket Association would come up.

Bindra alleged the announcement of the president8217;s election was a 8220;gross violation8221; of the laws of the land and amounted to contempt of court.

He said the local court had issued the orders at 1430 hours and he walked out of the meeting at 1540 hrs and till that time the elections had not been held.

The meeting got off to a noisy start with Bindra and his supporters objecting to the presence of two HCA officials, including its president Surana.

The rival group suggested that the legal opinion of the Rajasthan Association lawyers could be taken to solve the issue, but Bindra and his supporters insisted that BCCI8217;s official lawyers should give their opinion.

Addressing reporters immediately after being elected board president, Muthiah declared 8220;cricket would be my priority8221; and said due importance would be given to domestic tournaments and top players would also be attracted to it.

Asked how he planned to handle the issue of 8220;too much cricket8221;, he said the issue would be analysed threadbare and experts and former players consulted.

On the functioning of the board which has led to several controversies of late, he said there was nothing wrong with the functioning of the board.

Muthiah denied there was any division within the board, as reflected in the dissensions seen in the meeting and walk out by a rival group, and said when his side had the support of 27 of the 31 affiliates how could there be any division8217;.

On Bindra8217;s protest over change in the order of agenda to hold the elections early, he said the president had the right to shift the order of agenda.