Sharad Pawar is the new MCA president

Sharad Pawar is all set for a comeback to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for a second term as president as the biennial polls take place today. Last evening, election officer SM Borwadkar declared Pawar as the body's president unopposed.

Sharad Pawar at the Wankhede Stadium recently. Pic/ Bipin Kokate

Pawar's lone rival in the presidential election race, Gopinath Munde's form stayed rejected by the MCA and his subsequent appeal against his disqualification was also dismissed by MCA president Ravi Savant following which the senior Bharitya Janata Party (BJP) leader is likely to move court.

"We are in the process of preparing the necessary paper work. You will be informed once everything is done," Munde's lawyer Nitin Pradhan told MiD DAY.
According to an MCA clause, a candidate has to be a permanent resident of Mumbai. Munde's permanent address is Beed.

"Mr Munde had filed an appeal with which he had attached various documents to show that he has a residence in Mumbai. But that only indicates he has a residence in Mumbai. The rule says he has to be a resident of Mumbai," Savant said.

"The Bombay High Court has answered in 2006 that a person's address listed in the voters' list can be taken safely as his permanent resident. I may have as many residences but criteria for permanent residence is the address on the voting card," added Savant.

In June, Pawar shifted his permanent address from Baramati to Mumbai. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Pawar previously headed the MCA for a decade (2001-2011) before his place was taken by Vlasrap Deshmukh who passed away in August last year.

Munde's appeal to the court would be to get a stay only on the presidential election. "Injustice has been done to me. If Sharad Pawar can be allowed to contest without being a resident of Mumbai for such a long time, then why am I being rejected?

I have submitted all the necessary documents to prove my residence is in Mumbai. I will appeal to the court for justice and get a stay on the election for the president's post," Munde told reporters.

Meanwhile, Pawar has already been assured unanimous support from all three groups - Bal Mahaddalkar, Vijay Patil's Cricket First and Professor Ratnakar Shetty's panel.

For the two vice-president's posts, three candidates - Savant, Patil and Pankaj Thakur are in the fray. For the honorary treasurer's post, Vinod Deshpande and Mayank Khandwala will contest.

For Joint Honorary Secretaries, it will be a fight between Pravin Barve, Unmesh Khanvilkar, Dr PV Shetty and Nitin Dalal.u00a0It is expected to be a tough fight for managing committee berths as 30 candidates will vie for 11 places. u00a0