New Delhi, May 30: BCCI chief N Srinivasan, who happens to be also the owner of CSK, has refused to quit so far where serious allegations against his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) team principal Gurunath Meiyappan for his alleged role in betting and spot-fixing. Almost all the BCCI members and all the major political parties had join the chorus for the resignation of Srinivasan and it seems that it is the time when Srinivasan has to give his resignation.
Due to increase in pressure from within mounted against N Srinivasan`s continuance as BCCI chief with heavyweights Rajeev Shukla and Arun Jaitley coming out in the open as Sharad Pawar slammed the incumbent who still refused to heed calls for resignation.
Formar BCCI President Sharad Pawar, with whom Srinivasan has fallen out, today broke his silence and demanded a Home Ministry probe into all the 75 matches of the IPL in the wake of spot-fixing and betting allegations. Following all round attack on continuance as BCCI Chief Srinivasan in the wake of arrest of his son-in-law and CSK team owner Gurunath Meiyappan on charges of betting in IPL, Board heavyweights Shukla and Jaitley shed their reluctance and asked the Board chief to “disassociate” himself from the inquiry but stopped short of directly asking him to quit.
Srinivasan continued his defence and brushed aside demands for his resignation. Board sources said that efforts were on to rally support among BCCI members to initiate steps for building more pressure so that he steps down on his own. But politics in the Board showed with divisions emerging. Former BCCI Chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, who does not get along well with Pawar, parried all questions on whether Srinivasan should resign and said the Board-appointed inquiry commission is a “very, very good step”.
Their is also a chance of some state units today joined the chorus against Srinivasan.
Rajeev Shukla said, “Till the pendency of inquiry, Srinivasan should disassociate himself from the procedure as earlier also, it was discussed that he should disassociate. Disassociate, what it means is very clear.”
Rajeev Shukla said after the meeting with Mr. Jaitley, “He will have to take a decision now. Mr Jaitley and I have suggested to him.”
He also added, “Credibility of the Board is supreme for us. We will act in the best interest of the Board and Indian cricket.”
Rajeev Shukla did not utter the word resignation in his appeal to Srinivasan. Later, he announced that he would not run for another term as IPL Chairman in view of the current controversies bogging the Board in what is seen as intensifying the pressure on Srinivasan.
Shukla’s statement came a day after another BCCI official Jyotiraditya Scindia demanded Srinivasan`s resignation in the interest of cricket and in his own interest so that a proper probe could take place.
The two judges Justice T Jayaram Chauta and R Balasubramaniam appointed as members of the three-member commission to go into allegation against Meiyappan and India Cements, the owner of CSK, promised that the inquiry will be free and fair and that they would not be under any pressure.
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