The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Dalmiya retains post

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Dalmiya retains post

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Incumbent president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Jagmohan Dalmiya, retained his post defeating Kolkata Police Commissioner, Prasun Mukherjee, by 61 votes to 56 in the annual general meeting at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.

Dalmiya's confidants, Saradindu Pal and Amitava Banerjee were also re-elected joint secretaries, while Shiv Kumar Kalyani kept the treasurer's post. Pal and Banerjee received 71 and 61 votes respectively while Kalyani got 66.

In what was billed as one of the closest fights ever seen in the annals of the CAB, Dalmiya's panel prevailed owing to experience and better liaison with the voters. Mukherjee panel's two joint secretary candidates, Samar Pal and C. Raja Venkatram were polled 59 and 35 votes respectively while treasurer candidate, Tushar Sarkar got 50.

Speaking to the media along with Mukherjee, Dalmiya said he was very happy to win but did not enjoy it as much as he would have wanted. "It is not a victory or loss to both of us. We will work together from tomorrow for the betterment of the game in the state,'' he said. "By being elected to head the CAB,'' he said, "I got a platform which I badly needed to set things right elsewhere.''

Dalmiya said he never wanted to contest against the wishes of the State chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. "I never wanted to disregard the CM's request but I had no other choice. I don't consider this as a victory,'' he said.

Despite the defeat, Mukherjee was calm and composed and congratulated the winners and felt his panel was fairly and squarely beaten. He praised the contribution of the court-appointed observer, Justice S.K. Phoujdar, for conducting the electoral process smoothly. "Mr. Dalmiya and I had decided earlier to have a gentlemanly election and it was never taken to the personal level. This is a victory for cricket,'' he said.

The office bearers: President: Jagmohan Dalmiya. Vice-presidents: Russi Jeejeebhoy, Nemai Dutta, Ashit Chatterjee, Subhas Chandra Basu. Joint secretaries: Saradindu Pal, Amitava Banerjee. Treasurer: Shiv Kumar Kalyani.