NEW DELHI: IF elected, he will be the second journalist after Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) chief Rajat Sharma to head a state cricket association in the country. Sports administration, though, is not new to Abhilash Khandekar as he had served in various capacities with a basketball trust and the Madhya Bharat kho kho association in the past. However, a foray into cricket administration will bring the 60-year-old into the limelight like never before.
With former union minister and senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia throwing his weight behind Khandekar’s candidature, the journalist is heavily tipped to emerge triumphant at the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) elections scheduled on October 2. “Yes, I will be contesting for the MPCA president’s post. At the moment, I am the lone contestant for the post,” Khandekar told this daily on Friday.
Former Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy skipper and junior India selector Sanjeev Rao will be the candidate for secretary’s post from the Scindia faction. While Khandekar is likely to be elected unopposed, Rao is expected to get a tough fight from his former teammate Amitabh Vijayvargiya, who is believed to be close to BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.
“I’ve served the game in several capacities, from being a player to selector to umpire and a match referee, but this will be my first stint as an administrator if I get elected,” Rao said. Vijayvargiya had given up his government job last year so that he can contest the MPCA elections.
Meanwhile, the MPCA has appointed Dr M Modassir, a retired IAS and former election commissioner of Goa, as its electoral officer. Dr Modassir had also served as electoral officer for the Goa Cricket Association.
Patil forerunner in Mumbai
Vijay Patil might have been beaten by Sharad Pawar in the 2015 elections, but this time he may emerge as the unanimous winner during the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) polls on October 4.
Sources claimed that Patil might get elected unopposed as he has managed to obtain the backing of Nationalist Congress Party chief Pawar, Maharashtra minister and former MCA president Ashish Shelar.