BCCI Elections 2019: Anurag Thakur rubbishes nepotism allegations

BCCI veterans are t eligible to be part of new constitution, but it is believed that y are very much in control of system through ir family members who hold positions at top level.

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Since last month, Jaydev Shah, who is son of Niranjan Shah has been appointed as  president of Saurashtra Cricket Association and daughter of former BCCI president N Srinivasan Rupa Gurunath has been appointed as president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, while Arun – who is bror of ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur – has been appointed as president of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association.

In an interview with a leading media publication, Thakur said that all required processes were followed in appointment of se people. He asked why can't people see Sourav Ganguly being appointed as BCCI president? Why can't people see Brijesh Patel being appointed as IPL Chairman? Why can't people see or office bearers who didn't make it to team even? He said that re is a new state of administrators in state also. He went on to say that it was a democratic process where voters decided whom to vote for.

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Rumours were rife that Ganguly's appointment as BCCI President was motivated by politics with ruling BJP party, who were eyeing Bengal elections in 2021. Thakur termed se talks as mere 'stories'.

He said that re were too many stories in media based on too many people. He was t re to comment on anything. Ganguly was Indian captain and he also was president of Cricket Association of Bengal. He said if y questioned people like Ganguly also, n what were y looking at? 

Thakur said t only Ganguly but earlier as well, re was Dilip Vengsarkar, Shivlal Yadav, Brijesh Patel, himself and many ors who played first-class cricket. y were elected via a democratic process and had come through system into BCCI.  Anyone can come in and contest.

Thakur was vocal about his displeasure over conflict of interest clause, saying it prevented talented former cricketers from offering ir services to cricket. He said that most of players were raising an issue of conflict of interest. If anyone wanted to offer ir services to  game of cricket, he was being elected as secretary and he can't do anything else.  

BCCI's position had come down to level of Zimbabwe: Thakur

Thakur also said India had to fight back to become leader in ICC, saying BCCI's position had come down to 'level of Zimbabwe' among ors. goal was to get back ir position in ICC. India used to lead and contributed 70-75% of revenues of ICC, and ICC didn't pay back to Indian board. Indian board can't take it easily, he concluded.

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