Putting all speculations to an end, the final list for Rajasthan Cricket Association elections have been declared in which three cricket associations from Nagaur, Alwar, and Shriganganagar have been disqualified, thus paving way for Vaibhav Gehlot to become the president of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). Vaibhav Gehlot is the son of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the same Ashok Gehlot who is currently the Chief Minister spearheading Congress in Rajasthan. It seems like Congress is again engaging in promoting dynasty politics and this time it is cricket that is being infested.
Since the Nagaur District Cricket Association of Rameshwar Doody has been disqualified, Doody, who was the main opponent in the fray will no longer be contesting the elections and in the absence of him, Vaibhav Gehlot’s uncontested coronation is now on the cards, which is undoubtedly a bad omen for the Rajasthan Cricket.
Vaibhav Gehlot was recently inducted into the RCA from Rajsamand as a treasurer and hence his name was added in the voting list. Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal who was not happy with the CM Ashok Gehlot’s sons’ nomination had recently accused Gehlot of getting engrossed in finding newer ways and means to ensure his “unemployed son” gets a standing. RCA was banned in 2014 after they had elected Lalit Modi as the president. Lalit Modi is currently serving a ban after he was accused of violating FEMA laws, corruption in IPL and money laundering. Rajasthan also missed out on IPL games and it was only last year that the pink city of Jaipur saw matches being hosted. In September the ban was revoked by BCCI.
However, this is not the first time that both sports and merit have been sacrificed by the politicians to seek power in the sports administrative setups. Even before Vaibhav Gehlot, there have been many such politicians, who have continuously ruled over the state associations unchecked and unabated.
An entire book can be written about controversies surrounding Bihar Cricket. Three bodies have been at crosshairs for control of cricket in the state. Bihar Cricket Association (BCA), Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) and Association of Bihar Cricket (ABC) are in a legal battle over the issue of affiliation with BCCI. The BCA, which is the main body recognised by the BCCI was led by former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. The Association of Bihar Cricket and Cricket Association of Bihar on July 11, 2012 charged the Yadav of committing financial irregularities to the tune of Rs. 5 million, which the BCCI had granted for the development of the game in the state in 2008. Lalu Yadav held the Bihar Cricket Association for many years, so that his son and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav could get an opportunity to play at the highest level of cricket. Lalu Yadav not only ruined Bihar Cricket Association, he also destroyed Bihar Cricket. The state of Bihar, which once provided international cricketers like Kirti Azad, Saba Karim, has not been able to send a single cricketer to represent India internationally for years, and the henchman Lalu Prasad Yadav is solely to blame for it.
NCP patriarch, Sharad Pawar is another name in the long list of political leaders holding high administrative posts in sports bodies. Sharad Pawar too, like others, started his career in politics and with the passage of time used his influence to acquire the coveted post of the president of BCCI and ICC. Needless to say, the veteran leader has never taken a guard in front of the stumps.
Rajiv Shukla started working as a journalist in early years of his career. His hard work and dedication made him a prestigious member of the Rajya Sabha club. He was elected as the member of Rajya Sabha in 2000 and went on to become the Chairman of the highly-popular Indian Premier League (IPL). He was also the secretary of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association and manager of the Indian National Cricket Team. In 2011, Rajiv Shukla was appointed as the chief of IPL at the BCCI AGM. Rajiv’s appointment came after Chirayu Amin’s decision to step down. He was reappointed as IPL chairman in 2012.
But if such opportunistic politicians have played with the spirit of sports and especially cricket, then there have been many, who, despite being politicians, gave a new direction to sports federations. In 1999, the late BJP leader Arun Jaitley was given the reins of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), and within few years he established the Delhi cricket team as a powerful team in the cricket-circuit around the country. Regional cricket along with international cricket was greatly promoted by Arun Jaitley and it was under his supervision, cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan got an opportunity to stamp their authority on the international map. This was possible only when Arun Jaitley gave the spirit of game its due paramount importance.
However, the hush-hush way in which Vaibhav Gehlot has been speed-drafted to the helm of affairs in the Rajasthan Cricket Association, clearly shows that Congress does not care about the spirit of the game, and it certainly does not augur well for the future of Rajasthan cricket. By promoting dynasty and nepotism in cricket administration, Congress leaders have proved that they have no match in cheap politics. In India, the position of head of state cricket associations has become a nominal designation without any accountability with unlimited muscle and money in the bank. At the end of the day, it is the game that suffers as political leaders with absolutely no expertise have been allowed to hijack the game.