No Pawar-play at Mumbai Cricket Association this time

Speculations over Sharad Pawar’s participation in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections were laid to rest on Tuesday.

The incumbent president has decided not to continue in the position after holding it for 10 years.

It was revealed that Pawar would not be eligible to contest. As per the MCA constitution, only a resident of the city can stand in the polls. Pawar, who had changed his permanent address to Baramati to contest in the Madha (Maharashtra) Lok Sabha constituency in 2009, forfeited his right to contest in the election.

On Tuesday, Pawar addressed his panel at the MCA’s club house in BKC and informed the members that it won’t be possible for him to contest. “Pawar sahab won’t be able to contest due to technical reasons,” MCA treasurer Ratnakar Shetty told reporters after the meeting. Pawar was elected as MCA chief for the first time in 2001 and he completed 10 years in that position.

“He was supposed to contest the elections but the Clause 17 of the MCA constitution makes him ineligible. He had to change his address from Mumbai to Baramati in 2009. It will be a big loss for us,” a Pawar supporter told DNA. The group, however, is yet to take a decision on the replacement. It might decide on Wednesday.

Interestingly enough, Pawar came to the meeting by Vilasrao Deshmukh’s car. Deshmukh, as has been widely reported, is an aspirant for the MCA president post.  However, the Pawar panel chose not to comment whether it will be backing Deshmukh.

Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar is one of the contestants for the post of president. The filing of nominations for the July 15 elections ends on July 8.