Hyderabad: Confusion prevailed at the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s Special General Meeting on Sunday with president G. Vivekanand declaring that the Lodha Committee reforms had been adopted in toto even as members lead by former internationals claimed otherwise.
“All the recommendations as per the Lodha committee have been passed in toto and we have already informed the same to the Committee of Administrators,” the HCA president said.
However, many of the members including heavyweights N. Shivlal Yadav, Mohammad Azharuddin, S. L. Venkatapathy Raju and politician V. Hanumantha Rao are crying foul. According to them, only three members agreed to the decision and only those points (16) which benefitted the ruling body were adopted.
“They (the ruling body) wanted to do a one-sided job, but we didn’t allow the Lodha reforms to pass. They will have to conduct one more meeting. There were lot of questions that were asked and they had no answers to them,” Azhar said.
“The HCA is working like an autocracy. The current officials are unable to run the game properly thereby showcasing cricket in the state in bad light,” he added.
Shivlal Yadav too hit out saying, “In the current situation it is better that this body is dissolved and a fresh election is held. Let the new body come and function as per Lodha recommendations.”
However, Vivekanand stuck to his line. “Everybody accepted and voted for the decision except 10-15 members. What Lodha Committe gave us we passed the whole barrel word by word,” he maintained.
Azharuddin was barred from attending the meeting. He was later allowed after the members raised a din in the House, it is learnt. “This is not the way to treat a former Indian captain,” Shivlal said.
Vivekanand had a different point of view though. “He (Azhar) is coming to the meeting as a proxy on behalf of National Cricket Club which is not in tune with the Supreme Court guidelines. He did not apply for an international player card nor did we give him one. He is also campaigning for the Telangana Cricket Association which is a rival body of the HCA. My job is to protect the interest of the HCA,” he added.
Azharuddin, Shivlal and their supporters also alleged that the draft constitution was already signed and had an approval date of 21.7.2017 by the Registrar of Societies. However, Vivekanand clarified: “There is an enquiry being conducted by the Ombudsman on this resolution. When he takes a decision, we will give more details on that.”
