Pre-poll power play in Hyderabad Cricket Association

Hyderabad: Elections to the Hyderabad Cricket Association scheduled in September have begun to generate much heat in local cricket circles... and are fostering formation of groups.

On Monday, a strong contingent of HCA heavyweights turned up at the Press Club of Hyderabad to clear air on the cricket body’s nominee for BCCI meets, an item on the agenda that caused an uproar at the Annual General Meeting held on Sunday.

The presence of former Test cricketers Arshad Ayub, Mohammad Azharuddin, HCA secretary T. Sheshnarayan, joint secretary Ajmal Asad, former secretary John Manoj, former president Narender Goud, former treasurer Naresh Sharma and quite a number of former officials and club secretaries lent the press conference a show of strength feel.

Addressing reporters, they went on record to say the appointment of HCA representative for BCCI or similar organisations meet was ‘deferred’ at the AGM.
“Soon after the Agenda item regarding appointment of the Hyderabad Cricket Association representative for BCCI or similar organisations was taken up and deferred, Dr K. Anil Kumar (HCA vice-president/ in-charge president) left the dais without taking up the remaining items of the Agenda. Thereafter the meeting was concluded unfortunately without vote of thanks,” Sheshnarayan said.

Later in the evening, Anil Kumar sent an email asserting the AGM had resolved to send Dr G. Vivekanand as HCA’s representative to BCCI, among other important decisions. “Though these were done properly as per the constitution, it is very unfortunate that some members have gone to press with wrong remarks and getting bad name to the association,” he stated.

“We will present the case to the Ombudsman. We have all the documentary evidence,” Sheshnarayan countered, adding a majority of the club secretaries had wanted this issue to be discussed and implemented after elections are held on September 1.

According to the timeline and proposed actions set by the BCCI, the last date to send names of representatives of State Associations to the BCCI is September 23.

“The CoA (High Court-appointed Committee of Administrators) had clearly said HCA representative issue would be decided after the elections. The majority of the members at the AGM had clearly deferred the decision. However, the other group is spreading wrong information on this issue,” Arshad said.

Azharuddin concurred with Arshad. “How can they do this?” he wondered, adding “This is unethical.”