11 June,2011 08:13 AM IST | | A Correspondent
The Bal Mahaddalkar group may declare their support officially for former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to contest for the post of president at next month's Mumbai Cricket Association elections, it is learnt.
Deshmukh
The association's managing committee will meet today. However, Deshmukh will not be in town to attend.
Sources told MiD DAY that present president Sharad Pawar has decided not to contest the elections. In this scenario, it could be Deshmukh versus Dilip Vengsarkar for the top post. Both Vengsarkar and Deshmukh are currently vice-presidents of the association. Interestingly, it is learnt that Deshmukh has the support of the Pawar group.
Vengsarkar
Since the early 1990s, the MCA has been ruled by politcians. Former Test wicketkeeper Madhav Mantri was defeated by Manohar Joshi and in 2001, erstwhile India captain Ajit Wadekar was beaten by Sharad Pawar. History is against Vengsarkar, but it is learnt that the former batting stylist has important people backing him. He believes he has done enough over his decade-plus association with the cricket body.
