JUNE 4- A day after N. Srinivasan stepped aside as president of the BCCI with the skill of an artful dodger, the heat on him has only intensified. Images of the blazer-wearing strongman in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai no longer appear on TV screens, but it does not mean he can sit in peace.
Even as Jagmohan Dalmiya seized the opportunity and addressed the media in his inimitable style, Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was sent to judicial custody in Mumbai till June 14. For those wondering how a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) anticorruption unit had long ago ‘warned’ Gurunath, certain truths have now come out of the closet.
There was intense speculation as to how someone from the ICC directly contacted Gurunath. The reality is the ICC had actually called an influential politician connected with the Indian Premier League and told him there was some concern relating to Gurunath. This politician, in turn, reportedly called up Srinivasan and briefed him about what the ICC had to say.
Sources say this phone call was placed in the first week of April but Srinivasan did not act on it. Srinivasan has faced stern questions from the media but has kept a straight face, it would be interesting to find out what the ICC had to say. For the time being, people may think there is no heat on Srinivasan but insiders well versed with Board politics say the shrewd administrator has to now turn his attention towards his home base. With the annual Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) election coming up on June 23, there is speculation on how Srinivasan will deal with the situation.
He knows that the pressure to win the election this time will be much greater and smart strategies will be needed. Like the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), the use of proxies plays an important role in the TNCA election as well. This is indeed reminiscent of the times when former IPL chairman Lalit Modi faced the heat in the Rajasthan Cricket Association, from where he was ousted. Once Modi was left without a toehold in his state, it became very difficult for him in the BCCI framework.
Today, Srinivasan knows who his friends are and who all he cannot trust in the BCCI. The fight to stay as the TNCA boss will be very important for him as his political connections in Tamil Nadu are not with the AIADMK, the ruling party at the moment.
INDIA TODAY
