Even as the rival groups in the BCCI gear up for the Annual General Meeting later this month, a former Board chief has expressed anguish over the incessant factional politics and called for amending the contentious rules for representation as well as the zonal rotation of the presidency.
"Such politicking and factionalism may be found in a political party. But they do not befit a sports organisation, least of all the Indian Cricket Board," former BCCI President Biswanath Dutt said.
Dutt said the need of the hour was for the bickering groups to sit across the table and sort out problems.
"There is nothing in the world which cannot be solved through constructive discussions. While there is bound to be elections in any organisation which is run democratically, much of the acrimony can be overcome through dialogue," he said.
Dutt, who was BCCI President from 1988 to 1990, also lambasted the trend of nominating a person from one zone for contesting the presidential election from another zone.
"This is a complete mockery of the rotational system of the presidency that moves from one zone to the other. The rotational system was introduced so that no three zones could team up to establish a monopoly over the top post," he said.
Dutt said that the abuse of the provision started in 1990 when Madhavrao Scindia, who represented the Central Zone, was nominated from the North Zone to contest for the presidency against him.
{{/usCountry}}Dutt said that the abuse of the provision started in 1990 when Madhavrao Scindia, who represented the Central Zone, was nominated from the North Zone to contest for the presidency against him.
{{/usCountry}}Scindia received the nomination from Haryana and defeated Dutt in the AGM held in Kolkata.
"However, I do feel that since the provision is being misused time and again now, the rotation policy may be done away with by bringing an amendment. Anybody, irrespective of his zonal affiliation, may contest. And whoever gets majority will win," Dutt said.
On the vexed issue of representating an affiliate unit at the AGM, which has been the subject of endless wranglings and legal disputes almost every year, Dutt asked "why doesn't the Board follow the model of the Indian Football Association and the Cricket Association of Bengal?"
In both these bodies, nomination papers are sent to the affiliate units much in advance by registered post. The affiliate decides its representative by holding a meeting and gives his name in the nomination papers before sending them back to parent bodies.
"The nomination papers contain the name and address of the affiliate unit as also those of the nominee. And the papers have to be signed by the unit's President and Secretary," he said.
"Earlier, AGMs of both IFA and CAB used to be mired in legal disputes. But after I brought these changes (Dutt had headed both these bodies), court cases have become a thing of the past. So the same procedure can be put in place in the BCCI also," he said.
When asked whether he thought that Jagmohan Dalmiya, who has enjoyed a long stint in both CAB and BCCI, should have used his influence to introduce the CAB model of represenation, Dutt refused to comment.
"I don't know why he has not done it. You better ask him," said Dutt, widely regarded as Dalmiya's mentor.
Dutt said that he was totally in the dark about the need and the terms of reference of a patron-in-chief.
"I just don't know what a patron-in-chief is supposed to do. What role will he play? What is the need for such a post?"
However, the former BCCI President did not agree with the view that the intense, all out fight to control the Board was the result of the considerable amount of money pouring into the game.
"I find such a line of argument baseless. Can anybody use the money as per his sweet will? There is a plethora of committees from the working committee downwards to decide on the disbursement of money. No one can use the money for his personal gain," he said.