Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke (R) said: “ Manohar is the next BCCI president unless something very abnormal happens.” (Source: File Photo) Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke (R) said: “ Manohar is the next BCCI president unless something very abnormal happens.” (Source: File Photo)

After days of power struggle and hectic parleys, Shashank Manohar appears to be on pole position to take over as the BCCI president. Jagmohan Dalmiya’s death has vacated the president’s post mid-term and as per the constitution, the cricket board has to issue the notification for a Special General Meeting (SGM) within 15 days to nominate his successor. The BCCI is likely to do it on or before October 5.

Maharashtra Cricket Association president and IPL governing council member Ajay Shirke confirmed the development. “Manohar is the next BCCI president unless something very abnormal happens. He has the support of all the factions that matter. There might be a few people with a different view, but that’s not an issue. He’s the best man in the circumstances and Manohar leading the board would be a fitting tribute to Dalmiya. I can assure you there had never been a patch-up (between N Srinivasan and Sharad Pawar). The whole thing was done (by Srinivasan) to divert attention…To disrespect the sentiment of the majority of the board members,” Shirke told The Sunday Express.

A former BCCI secretary concurred. “Yes, he (Manohar) would be the Pawar group candidate for the president’s post and our whole group will support him.” His comment came in the wake of IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla, another one whose name had been doing the rounds as a likely successor, withdrawing himself from the race. “I’m not in the race for the BCCI president’s post. I hope we’ve a consensus candidate who is accepted by all as it would be a perfect tribute to the late Jagmohan Dalmiya,” Shukla said.

Shukla opts out

It would be interesting to see if Manohar emerges as a consensus candidate or faces a challenger, but with Pawar backing him and Shukla opting out – it means BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur’s support will be with him as well — the legal man is expected to have the numbers if an election is required. This is East Zone’s turn to nominate the president until 2017 and the presidential candidate needs a proposer from the region. According to sources, Tripura Cricket Association or National Cricket Club is likely to propose Manohar’s candidature. With Sourav Ganguly being anointed as the Cricket Association of Bengal president, Pawar camp might have further support in the East.

Manohar, on a private visit to Mahabaleshwar, couldn’t be contacted. Asked about the development, Vidarbha Cricket Association – Manohar’s home association – president Prakash Dixit said: “I can’t comment without speaking to Mr Manohar.”

The BCCI marketing committee head Chetan Desai, however, welcomed the possibility. “If this is true, then I’m happy with the development. Manohar is a man of integrity and will be a good choice to fill the leadership void,” he told this paper.

Even BCCI vice-president from South Zone G Ganga Raju, known to be close to Srinivasan, didn’t sound too iffy. “I don’t know if they’ve nominated Manohar, but if he has become a unanimous choice, then there shouldn’t be a problem. It’s better to have unity rather than a divided house, and Manohar is very competent,” he said.

But how could a consensus be reached unless the Srinivasan camp too supports Manohar? And given that the two former BCCI presidents don’t see eye-to-eye, is it realistically possible? “At the end of the day, we all are collectively working for Indian cricket and there should be no permanent friends or foes. Manohar and Srinivasan have worked together before, as president and secretary respectively. Why can’t they work as colleagues again?” Ganga Raju added.

Over the past week, it didn’t seem that a consensus would emerge as to who would be the next BCCI president as officials belonging to different factions were meeting at different venues. Srinivasan flew down to Nagpur to extend an olive branch to his long-time adversary Pawar. The former reportedly tried to convince the Mumbai Cricket Association president to stand for the presidential election, and extended his full support. But Manohar, a long-standing Pawar ally, was averse to the thaw. Shirke, too, disapproved it. Pawar decided not to throw his hat into the ring but put his weight behind Manohar. The latter had earlier served as the BCCI president from 2008-2011. He’s all set to have a second wind.

The Srinivasan faction, on the other hand, seems to have resigned to the fate. After meeting Pawar on Wednesday evening, Srinivasan had headed to Bangalore to interact with his supporters. Only seven members turned up. Things can change overnight in the BCCI, but at the moment he appears to be on the wrong side of the numbers game. If Manohar eventually becomes the new BCCI president, it will officially mark the end of Srinivasan era in Indian cricket.

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