Modi gatecrashes into Indian cricket party

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has joined the ever-growing list of political heavyweights to take to cricket administration. He was handed the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) reins during an annual general meeting (AGM) at the Motera Stadium on Tuesday. The announcement may have been unexpected but the move should not be a surprise. Modi is suddenly interested in cricket, and for good reason.

The GCA is one of the richest state cricket associations in the country and a prospective Indian Premier League (IPL) centre, with Ahmedabad likely to be auctioned as a franchise for the 2011 edition of the T20 league.

Also, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is now a member of the all-powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “The rising profile of the game in the country has attracted him. He can utilise the game’s popularity for his political gain,” said Narhari Amin, the outgoing president of the GCA. Cricket is hugely popular in the state. The Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera near Ahmedabad is one of India’s biggest stadiums. Next year, it will host four IPL matches. Interestingly, Modi is said to be close to the Adani Group’s Gautam Adani who has shown interest in buying an IPL team. The other Gujarati who is a prospective buyer of this franchise is Anil Ambani.

“I want to use India’s most powerful game to bring changes in society. It is the game which talks about team spirit. I don’t know what ideology my predecessors pursued but I have a plan to contribute to the game,” said Modi.

The BJP leader’s rise in Gujarat is expected to change equations in the cricketing corridors of the west zone, a known stronghold for Sharad Pawar, a former BCCI president who wields considerable influence in the present dispensation. With Gujarat having three votes — Saurashtra, Baroda and Gujarat — in BCCI decisions, Pawar’s support base may get affected in the zone.   

But there is no indication as yet that Modi will confront Pawar in the BCCI. Also, the west zone’s turn to field a president will come after 11 years. “His entry into cricket administration is a welcome development,” said Saurashtra strongman Niranjan Shah, himself a powerful member of the zone. “He can change the face of cricket in the state just like Pawar did in Maharashtra. I have had a discussion with him already,” the former BCCI secretary added.

For someone like Jagmohan Dalmiya, Modi’s cricketing incarnation is a ‘significant’ development. The former BCCI president was not willing to comment on the development but a Dalmiya aide conceded that the development is significant.

There was no formal reaction from the BCCI - a spokesman said it is an internal matter of the GCA - but Board vice-president Lalit Modi said it is a positive development. “It is good to development. We’re looking forward to working with him in the Indian Premier League (IPL),” the other Modi said.

Some indication about Modi’s cricketing ambitions will be known on September 24, the day of the BCCI AGM. One has to attend at least two AGMs to be eligible to be an office-bearer in the BCCI.

The move is also seen as the growing influence of BJP in the BCCI, which has many powerful politicians holding important positions in different bodies. Modi is also said to be close to senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat and also president of the Delhi District Cricket Association. Modi’s coming to power in GCA will certainly help Jaitley as he is eyeing the BCCI presidency, said a source.

“They are trying to capitalise on the popularity of cricket amongst the masses, particularly the youth,” says Rajiv Shukla, BCCI vice president and Congress MP. Gujarat home minister Amit Shah, who was widely expected to become the president after toppling Amin, has been made the first vice-president of the GCA. At the AGM, one of the Central Board of Cricket Ahmedabad (CBCA) members proposed the name of Modi, a co-opted member of CBCA.

There was no opposition to the proposal. Modi will be at the helm of GCA affairs for next three years. “Couple of days ago, we all met him (Modi) at his residence and were able to convince him to take the responsibility of Gujarat cricket,” said Shah.