A file photo of N. Srinivasan.
© AFP
Even as N. Srinivasan prepares to meet his loyalists this weekend to decide his way forward, there is a great deal of anticipation about who will be the next BCCI president. The Supreme Court may have clearly told Srinivasan that he cannot contest till his commercial interests in cricket are over, but the Chennai strongman is in no mood to throw the towel yet.
Down Under, the Indian contingent may be sweating over the fitness of some of its key players but a defiant Srinivasan is claiming that he is fit to play another innings for BCCI. The 70-year-old president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association is the chairman of the ICC. (Related: Don't Write Srinivasan's Cricket Obituary Yet )
Srinivasan's 'fitness' needs to be endorsed by 30 affiliated units of the BCCI. And to get that endorsement, he will be wooing the voters in Chennai on Saturday, a day ahead of an important Working Committee meeting. The outcome of the meeting is anyone's guess. Ever since he became the Board boss, Srinivasan has virtually made every decision. This week, a clutch of 'big' and 'small' decisions are expected to favour the Srinivasan camp.
The biggest one, of course, will be Srinivasan's wish to contest the BCCI elections, provided he has finalised the sale of Chennai Super Kings. Or else, Srinivasan could nominate a 'player' of his choice. Several names are doing the rounds. Among them are Srinivasan loyalists, Board secretary Sanjay Patel and senior BCCI vice-president Shivlal Yadav.
BJP MP and BCCI joint-secretary Anurag Thakur's name is also doing the rounds and so is former IPL chairman and vice-president from Central Zone, Rajeev Shukla. (Supreme Court Verdict Silent on Players Named in Mudgal Report )
Srinivasan is seeking Arun Jaitley's blessings, it is learnt. The duo reportedly met in Delhi for about two hours on Tuesday. They certainly didn't talk India's foreign policies. Srinivasan, apparently waited 24 hours to meet Jaitley. With Delhi elections hotting up, to get Jaitley's time can be seen as 'victory' for Srinivasan.
If Jaitley plays king-maker, Srinivasan can count on the eight votes BJP controls. The institutional votes -- Services, Railways and Universities - will also belong to the Srinivasan camp. Srinivasan will have to garner four more votes to be re-elected, and that does not look like a real obstacle. (Allegations Against Raman Can't go Unprobed: Supreme Court )
What does look like a roadblock is Jagmohan Dalmiya's cold shoulder. Dalmiya controls three of six votes from the East Zone, from where Srinivasan has to get a proposer and a seconder. So even if Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand back Srinivasan, there may be a chance of a rival faction taking the Dalmiya route to come back to the BCCI. Last week Sharad Pawar's name was doing the rounds as a possible successor to Srinivasan.
Srinivasan has reportedly been advised by his powerful politician friend not to go against the Supreme Court. That means if he can't sell Chennai Super Kings, Srinivasan can't contest BCCI elections either.
Board elections, according to the Supreme Court's six-week deadline, must be completed before March 5. This means the Working Committee has to announce the election date by February 12 to fulfill the three-week notice period for units. It isn't just his cronies, but Srinivasan's enemies, too, who are watching his every move. This is turning out to be quite a cliff-hanger.
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