The state of confusion continued to overshadow the working at the Delhi and District Cricket Association on Monday after fierce punches and kick were thrown at the annual general meeting (AGM) of DDCA on Sunday.
Soon after the DDCA AGM reports of announcing a new DDCA president surfaced. There were reports that on 13 January, the post of DDCA President would be announced and Gambhir could be appointed to this post.
However, later it was was said on Monday that the DDCA elections will be held after the Delhi general elections. Only after the DDCA election, it will be decided who will be the new president of DDCA. Apart from this, the DDCA has made it clear that former cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gautam Gambhir is not eligible for this post.
DDCA General Secretary Vinod Tihara said that “DDCA will request Lokpal Deepak Verma to give some time for the election of DDCA President. Earlier this election was to be held at the end of January, but keeping the Delhi election, which is to be held in February, they will request to hold elections for the post of DDCA President post that.” When asked about speculations of Gambhir taking the DDCA president post-Tihara said, “Gambhir is not eligible for this post under Lodha recommendation.”
Tihara added, Gambhir is welcome to serve Delhi cricket, but he takes the DDCA president role only if he leaves the post of MP. Apart from this, Tihara also said that strict action will be taken against those guilty for what happened at the AGM. He assured that guilty people will be punished within a week.
During the meeting on Sunday, there was a scuffle and during this time Justice (retired) Deepak Verma was appointed as the new Lokpal of DDCA. Rajan Manchanda, the joint secretary of the ruling group, was slapped by the anti-faction’s Maqsood Alam on the other side of the AGM.
BJP MP Gambhir termed the incident during the AGM as shameful. Gambhir tweeted, ‘DDCA shamefully crossed all limits. See how some anti-social elements are mocking an institution. I urge BCCI, Sourav Ganguly, Jai Shah to dissolve DDCA immediately. Surely there should be punishment or a life ban for the people involved in this incident. ‘
