06 July,2009 08:39 AM IST | | A Correspondent
In an interesting twist to the Mumbai Cricket Association election, Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has assured to play the godfather's role for the opposition group led by Ravi Savant, Shripad Halbe and Nadeem Memon.
Following a meeting of the group with Deshmukh, an understanding was reached where Halbe and Pravin Barve would withdraw their candidature for the vice-president's post, paving the way for an unopposed election of Deshmukh. In return, Deshmukh has promised to lend his support to the opposition. It will mean an indirect confrontation with the ruling group president Sharad Pawar.
It also means current vice-president Dilip Vengsarkar of the ruling group will be elected unopposed. July 7 is the last date for withdrawal of candidatures.
Assurance
"We had a meeting with Vilasrao Deshmukh yesterday and we assured him that we will ensure he is elected unopposed and agreed that Halbe and Barve would step down. In return we wanted his support. We told him we don't have a godfather. He assured us all the support, moral as well as well as otherwise," Memon told MiD DAY.
The election is scheduled for July 10.
Interestingly, while announcing their candidates, the ruling Pawar-group had declared Deshmukh as one of their two candidates for the vice-president's post. Memon said: "Deshmukh told us he is an independent candidate. He said that in press statements too.
"Also, we will be merging with the Bal Mahadalkar-group (which is led by Pawar-group rebel Savant). For the secretary's post, we will be supporting independent candidate Lalchand Rajput," informed Memon.
