Dalmiya set to retain CAB president’s post

KOLKATA - Incumbent Jagmohan Dalmiya is all set to retain his presidential post in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), as the dissident group failed to put up any candidate for the July 31 elections.

There was no opposition candidate in fray to take on Dalmiya as the deadline for filing nominations ended Thursday.

For the opposition it was a tactical move, aimed at giving a year’s time to former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly to prepare the ground for posing a serious challenge to Dalmiya - a former president of the International Cricket Council and Indian cricket board - in the CAB annual general meeting in 2010.

“Ganguly will represent Mohammeddan Sporting in the CAB AGM this year as a club representative. It is too late now for somebody so new to CAB politics to fight against a strong opponent like Dalmiya. We are now looking at 2010,” a leading figure in the opposition camp told IANS, requesting anonimity.

The dissidents have failed to find a big name to take on the seasoned cricket administrator. Even Ganguly publicly expressed his willingness to enter the Bengal cricket administration.

“Ganguly has the right stature and background to match Dalmiya. He is better than any other candidate we can think of as Dalmiya’s challenger. And he will not contest unless he feels he has a reasonable chance to win. The one year period gives him time to learn the ropes and interact with the 121 voters in the CAB,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Dalmiya said it was for Ganguly to decide whether he will involve himself with the CAB. “If he wants to come, he is welcome.”

Dalmiya has held on to the CAB president’s post since 1993 except for a 19-month break from end December 2006 to the middle of last year.

The former BCCI chief had stepped down from the CAB post towards 2006 end after being slapped with a ban by the BCCI then controlled by Sharad Pawar, but returned to power in 2008 by defeating then president Prasun Mukherjee.