Brij Bhushan flexes muscle, faction names close aide for president's post

By then the representative from Jammu & Kashmir wrestling association Dushyant Sharma, who attended the meeting on Sunday, was nowhere to be seen but it hardly mattered in the end.

Brij Bhushan. (File Photo)

CHENNAI: A couple of voters might have switched loyalties but the embattled Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh seems to be in control as far as the election on August 12 is concerned. As reported by this daily, the Uttar Pradesh strongman, who is also a BJP member of parliament from Kaiserganj, met Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday morning before having a round of talks with representatives from almost 20 state units at a five-star hotel in New Delhi.

By then the representative from Jammu & Kashmir wrestling association Dushyant Sharma, who attended the meeting on Sunday, was nowhere to be seen but it hardly mattered in the end. "Sanjay Kumar Singh is our candidate for the president's post. Jai Prakash, an Olympian and president of Delhi Association is the backup candidate," a source close to Brij Bhushan camp told this daily. The faction also filed two nominations for secretary with Chandigarh's Darshan Lal, also a WFI vice president, filing his candidatures along with Jai Prakash. "If Sanjay's nomination is accepted then we will choose one between Darshan and Jai Prakash for the post of secretary," added the source. Incumbent treasurer Satya Pal Deshwal is the lone candidate for the post from the faction.

As per the revised WFI constitution, an executive committee can have 15 members including a president, a secretary, a treasurer and a senior vice president apart from four vice presidents, two joint secretaries and five executive members. Asit Kumar Saha, West Bengal association president and existing senior vice president ID Nanavati from Gujarat are the two nominations for the lone senior vice president's post. The faction has filed six nominations for four posts of vice presidents and seven nominations for five posts of executive members.

Meanwhile, former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and only woman in the electoral college Anita Sheoran and Dushyant are the two candidates for the post of president from the rival camp. While Anita refused to speak on her nomination, Dushyant confirmed that he had filed the papers. "Yes, I have filed my nomination for the post of president," he said.

Prem Chand Lochab, the Railway Sports Promotion Board secretary, whose name was included in the electoral college from Gujarat association, has apparently filed his nomination for the post of secretary. Devender Kadyan, hotelier and a BJP leader from Haryana who is representing the newly-affiliated Assam unit has filed his nomination for the post of senior vice president.

"Apart from hotels, I also own a sports academy in Haryana. I have been doing my bit for sports and if elected, I would like to continue it through the WFI. Wrestling is the most followed sport in Haryana so it's like an opportunity for me to contribute towards the development of the sport," Kadyan told this daily.

The returning officer Justice MM Kumar, retired chief justice of the J&K High Court, will prepare and display the nominations received on Tuesday. Scrutiny of nomination papers by the returning officer and then preparation and display of the list of validly nominated candidates will be done the next day. The withdrawal of candidatures can be done from August 3 to 5 while the preparation and display of the final list of contesting candidates will be done on August 7.

Top wrestlers from the country including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik along with two-time World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat had launched a massive protest against Brij Bhushan on charges of sexual harassment in January this year. Brij Bhushan is ineligible to contest as he has already completed 12 years as head of the federation — the maximum period allowed as per the National Sports Code.

Given the massive protest against him, the government in the past has assured protesting wrestlers that no one from Brij Bhushan's family will contest the election. The assurance meant the names of Brij Bhushan and his son Karan were not included in the list of representatives eligible to vote. Later, Sanjay and UP association secretary Prem Kumar Mishra replaced them on the list from the UP association.