Arun Jaitley’s decision to not extend his tenure as one of the vice-presidents of BCCI and give Sunday’s AGM a miss raised many eyebrows on the eve of the meeting. But sources in BCCI said to not read too much into it as the eminent lawyer had “opted out” to focus on the upcoming general elections. He would be back to take over the top post from N. Srinivasan in 2014, sources said. “Until then, Jaitley wants his trusted lieutenant S.P. Bansal, secretary of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association, to be vice-president. Having said that, it will also depend on how the elections pan out. If BJP comes to power and Jaitley secures a plum position in the Cabinet, he may not be interested in the ‘controversial’ BCCI,” the source said. Jaitley will not attend Sunday’s AGM due to a prior political assignment. Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who has been criticizing Jaitley for being hand-in-glove with Srinivasan, said the BJP leader’s non participation at the AGM was a ploy. “Fans of cricket should know Arun Jaitley is behind Srinivasan and also the master strategist. Not attending AGM is just a ploy to look good,” Modi tweeted on Saturday. Jaitley has long been hailed the next president of BCCI and the Board has even made amendments in the constitution to pave the way for him when Srinivasan completes three years at the helm. According to the amendment made in September 2012, if two full member associations of the zone whose turn (rotation order: West, Central, South, East Zone and North) it is to nominate the presidential candidate approve a person from any other zone, he can become BCCI president. One of the conditions is that the candidate should have attended two AGMs. In 2014, it will be East Zone’s turn to name the presidential candidate and given Jaitley’s proximity with Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Delhi politician is assured of the post. Former BCCI president I.S. Bindra says the zonal nomination is “undemocratic and illegal”. “You can win with five votes in electoral college of thirty,” he said.
