Chennai: As the IPL betting and spot fixing case inches closer to the judgment day, the powers that be in the BCCI have turned their focus on East Zone that has the right to nominate the presidential candidate at next month’s elections. Before the Supreme Court’s scathing remarks on N. Srinivasan on Thursday, reports suggested that all the six members of East Zone — Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand, Assam, Orissa and National Cricket Club (NCC) — had pledged their support to the TN strongman who is tipped to seek a third term as the Board chief.
But the members of the zone appear to have undergone a change of mind following the apex court’s stinging observations. They might adopt a cautious approach should the elections go ahead as scheduled on December 17 without Srinivasan.Former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, who controls the votes of CAB and NCC, refused to reveal East Zone’s choice if Srinivasan is barred from contesting.
“I don’t want to say anything at this juncture because the next hearing is on Monday and the Supreme Court is looking into it,” Dalmiya told this newspaper.When asked whether he was being considered as a back-up candidate, Dalmiya said, “The zonal members will sit together and decide only after the Supreme Court’s order.”
Tripura Cricket Association secretary Sourav Dasgupta also maintained that East Zone hasn’t taken a final decision on its candidate. “The Supreme Court has made a lot of observations, but we can’t say anything until the judgment. We have to see the names (of the officials who will not be allowed to contest as per the SC’s order),” said Dasgupta.
