Patience pays, they say and so will agree former Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) president Narhari Amin, who made a comeback in the cricketing body on Sunday, after a gap of four long years. Amin, who switched his loyalties from the Congress to the saffron brigade, will represent Surat District Association.
However, the axe fell on Ashok Saheba, who was asked to step down from
the post of joint secretary.
According to sources, Surat District Cricket Association proposed Amin’s name as co-opted member of GCA in the annual general meeting held at Motera stadium on Sunday, which was accepted by the gathering. “GCA has provision of co-opted membership. Parimal Nathawani holds one, while the other is vacant. Now Amin will fill that vacancy,” said an insider. Nathwani is the vice-president of GCA. The executive committee is an important decision-making body of the state’s cricketing body.
It is to be recalled that in 2009, Amin, then a Congress leader, was displaced in a rebellion that was led by Amit Shah. Amin resigned from his post in June 2009, but then lost again in subsequent elections of GCA.
Moreover in 2011, when Amit Shah was directed by the court to stay away from Gujarat for his alleged role in an encounter killing, the association was embroiled in a messy infighting. Vexed with the internal strife, chief minister Narendra Modi, who is also the president of the GCA, had then remarked, “If this infighting continues, you (the other existing panel members) should resign. As it is, Narhari Amin was doing a good job.”
It was the first hint of the chief minister harbouring a soft corner for Amin, the ousted GCA member. Then followed the 2012 assembly election drama, where Amin switched over to the BJP from the Congress. This kicked off speculations around Motera’s walls of Amin bagging a hotseat again in the decision-making body.
Not surprisingly, during the Central Board of Cricket Ahmedabad (CBCA) award function held at Motera lawns on Sunday evening, Amin, seated beside SDCA chief KL Contractor, shared the dais with other GCA top guns. Meanwhile, Amit Shah’s son, Jay, was elevated to the joint secretary’s post, replacing Saheba.
However, despite repeated attempts the duo was not available for comments.
Players with outstanding performance in 2010-11 and 2011-12 were felicitated at the award function that followed the AGM.
