By Abhishek Roy
New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS): Former board president Shashank Manohar Saturday accused his successor N. Srinivasan of taking advantage of the amendment of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) constitution for seeking a third term in office and vowed to oppose Lalit Modi's re-entry.
Manohar also ruled out contesting the impending elections against Srinivasan adding that BCCI's constitution was amended in 2012 to remove the cap on the number of terms in office of key office-bearers.
He said that all big guns supported it in the hope that they too could stage a comeback or someone like senior BJP politician and Union Minister Arun Jaitley, a former BCCI vice-president and ex-Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) chief, need not wait for his turn for over a decade.
Manohar, 56, also rubbished rumours that he has joined hands with suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Modi in the campaign against Srinivasan and would also oppose his re-entry into BCCI.
"When the constitution was amended it was done specifically to facilitate Mr. Arun Jaitley (former BCCI vice-president) to become the BCCI president from East Zone. That time we had specifically done that for Mr. Jaitley since he was the unanimous choice of the members. But now Srinivasan has used it to his own advantage," Manohar told IANS from Nagpur.
In 2012, the constitution was amended to facilitate an incumbent from a different zone to become the president if his name was proposed and seconded by the zone, whose turn it is to elect the board president.
Manohar said that the BCCI flouted its own constitution by postponing the AGM and the elections which were slated for Sep 30. Srinivasan was elected as the BCCI president Sep 29 last year.
"The BCCI had no right to flout its own constitution. According to Article 16(i) of BCCI Constitution, the AGM must be held on or before Sep 30. The budget had to be approved in this AGM. There will be a crisis since the AGM has been postponed. In fact, all committees will cease to exist and the selection committee has to announce the team for the West Indies series before Sep 30," he said.
While some members feel that Manohar is the right person to take Srinivasan head on, the senior lawyer said he has made up his mind not to be a part of the BCCI ever again since he stepped down as the president in 2011.
"I have made a personal decision. I will not contest any BCCI elections in any capacity in my lifetime again. I have been a BCCI president and I had my time. But I am always ready to give any advice to the board whenever it needs," Manohar said.
Manohar said he would love to see former BCCI presidents Jagmohan Dalmiya or Sharad Pawar challenge Srinavasan and clean up the act.
"There are plenty of people who are capable enough. Ideally I would want Mr. Jaitley to take over. But I don't know whether he is in a position to take up the job. But Mr. Sharad Pawar and Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya are capable to handle the top job since they have been BCCI presidents in the past as well," he said.
Manohar also said that he would be the first to oppose Modi's re-entry into the board.
"I will be the first one to oppose Modi re-entering the board. I was the one to suspend him during my tenure. Lots of people can say a lot of things but I am opposed to Modi entering the board again," said Manohar.