BCCI livid as Lalit Modi defies ban to file RCA nomination

Sanjay Patel confirmed with The Indian Express that the BCCI were awaiting RCA's response.

Disregarding the life ban imposed on him by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi,on Monday,officially threw his hat in ring to be Rajasthan Cricket Associations president. Within hours of him filing his nomination,BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel threatened RCA with expulsion if Modi was to represent a district in the state units election.

Patel confirmed with The Indian Express that the BCCI werer awaiting RCAs response. Quoting from the letter he said,All the members,including RCA,are bound to follow the decision taken and directives issued in the interest of BCCI,especially those related to the disciplinary proceedings.

Modi,who was found guilty of financial wrongdoing and indiscipline by an BCCI internal probe in September this year,has made London his base for close to three years now.

Nevertheless,he has remained in the news because of his constant twitter tirade against his powerful rivals in the Indian board president N Srinivasan and politicians Arun Jaitley (BJP) and Rajiv Shukla (Congress). Though,according to Modi,it was the threat of the underworld that had forced him to stay away from India.

Change at the top

Many in the BCCI feel that the recent political change in Rajasthan,where Modis close family friend Vasundhara Raje Scindia led BJPs sweep in this months assembly election,has changed the RCAs power equation. Scindias return to power has slighly opened the door for Modi, said a BCCI old hand.

Modis lawyer Mehmood Abdi,who is contesting for the vice-presidents post in the RCA elections scheduled for Thursday,doesnt agree in full.

Modi has contested even when Mrs Raje was not in power, he said. But he goes on to add: Their cant be any denying that the present political environment is favourable in the sense that Rajes attitude is very positive to the development of sports,particularly to the game of cricket. It was during her previous tenure than that entire cricket structure,which is now in shambles,was created. She has also been patron of RCA.

Wait and watch approach

Story continues below this ad

Those within the RCA have adopted a wait and watch approach. KK Sharma,acting secretary of RCA,says,We will reply to BCCI,these two issues are different things. Modis nomination has come through court,I dont want to talk much on this at the moment.