A look at the issues and agendas of the forthcoming elections in the Mumbai Cricket Association, between groups led by Sharad Pawar and Vijay Patil
Amol Karhadkar16-Jun-2015In his 14-year stint as a cricket administrator, Sharad Pawar has rarely lost an election in a cricket governing body but as he vies for his seventh term as president of the Mumbai Cricket Association, he faces stiff competition from erstwhile protégé, Vijay Patil. Patil’s Cricket First group is contesting the elections against the incumbent Pawar-Mahaddalkar group. Both parties addressed press conferences on the eve of the elections and shared information on their agendas and goals. These are a few excerpts.Sharad Pawar on…The perception that the MCA doesn’t back former cricketers within the administrative set-up
“Most of the colleagues in the managing committee are cricketers. They have played important games at the highest level, as well local games. They know how to play and run the game. I don’t know why there is such a perception.”Where the MCA stands in context of its perception in the BCCI
“Today in the BCCI, there are very few associations which are considered excellent. Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi are considered to be a well-administered and controlled, and the BCCI always sees these associations differently than other associations.”Whether the MCA’s outdated voting pattern – believed to have resulted in greater political interference – should be modified
“The suggestion of allowing only those who have attended three or four AGMs can be considered if the newly elected body feels it needs to be acted upon.”Whether his group is losing supporting within the MCA
“I don’t think so. We still enjoy support. In a democratic election set-up, these things are bound to crop up. Everyone has a right to contest and after the elections we all are colleagues.”Ravi Savant, former BCCI vice-president and a member of the Pawar-Mahaddalkar panel, on the hurdles in improving facilities in the maidans
“Most of the grounds are heritage sites. But with women cricketers increasing across the city, we are trying to get these issues sorted at the earliest.”Vijay Patil on…His group Cricket First’s aspirations for a majority in the 17-member managing committee
“It’s a challenge but I think the basis of governance is a majority in the managing committee. Once you have that, your focus will be to kickstart all those things. It’s not going to happen overnight, because there are certain limitations, but we need to start implementing our policies and make it an open organisation.”The issues his campaign focusses on
“The first thing is the constitution, (it) has to be amended. You have to have a democratic system of governance which again hinges back to amending the constitution. Second thing is improvement of infrastructure on maidans. That is essential. The third is setting up infrastructure and the High Performance Centre. Thousands of young cricketers play on these maidans but there are some basic facilities that are lacking. So I think that’s something that needs to be done on a priority basis.”On the importance of maintaining infrastructure
“It’s not just about erecting the infrastructure, you really have to grind and water these centres. What makes an excellent facility is how you manage it, how you locate the right talent, how you use the best resources that are available. In Mumbai we are quite fortunate to have so many cricketers who played at the highest level and are excellent coaches. You have to use these resources well and involve them so that they can contribute meaningfully to the cause of Mumbai cricket.”
