Srinagar: With the Supreme Court on Monday removing BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke it was expected that J&K Cricket Association President Moulvi Imran Reza Ansari may tender his resignation from the post.
However, the PDP leader who according to Lodha Panel recommendations is ineligible for the post of JKCA President has not made any statement regarding the development.
Though his own faction has said that they are left with no option but to follow Apex court order, it is still the Ansari’s statement that carries weight in JK cricket circles.
The local daily Greater Kashmir on Tuesday quoted Ansari faction, Treasurer Abdur Rouf saying, “It is clear Supreme order is order that we have to follow at anyhow. Whether we like it or not, there is no option left out for us. We will now sit together and discuss on how to implement the Lodha commitee recommendations,” said former cricketer and JKCA Treasurer Abdur Rouf.
“It is obvious that there will be major changes due to this order. Only time will tell whether changes will help cricket in Country are it will be bad for it,” he added.
With this statement the faction senior member made it clear that he and other officials who don’t follow under Lodha panel recommendations are ineligible to be part of JKCA.
The Dr Farooq Abdullah faction has already accepted the recommendation a from time to time made it clear that they will comply with the report.
Even the Dr Farooq Abdullah has announced that he is ready to part ways with cricket body.
“We have already written to Lodha Panel about our willingness to implement the order. With this new order, it is now mandatory for BCCI and its State units to go ahead with Lodha recommendations,” same Greater Kashmir report quoted former General Secretary JKCA Saleem Khan.
“The current JKCA body headed by Moulvi Imran Reza Ansari according to panel order is illegal as the elections were declared null and void by the panel. However, they still enjoy the power as BCCI headed by Anurag Thakur used to back them .With this today’s order everything has changed and we will now want Lodha panel to take over the body and hold elections under its observations,” he added.
With almost all BCCI State units ready to comply with the Lodha Panel recommendations the entire demography of cricket administration is bound to change. So will be case with JKCA where in every now and then ruling Government has been taking the shots.
It is to be seen how Ansari will react to latest development and with what plans they will come up to counter Lodha recommendations.
Pertinently the Lodha panel had declared last July held elections of JKCA as null and void. However, Ansari continued to act as President hoping that BCCI may get some respite from SC.