Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar, known for his integrity and impeccable track record in cricketing circles, has said N Srinivasan has no right to continue as the BCCI president and that he should have resigned the moment his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested in connection with match-fixing, says a report in Mumbai Mirror.
Manohar, often called Mr Clean and said to be the best president the BCCI ever had, said by brazening it out, Srinivasan has betrayed a lack of self-esteem and conscience, says the report, adding that his candid remarks are seen as the first salvo aimed at Srinivasan from within the opaque corridors of the BCCI, the world's richest board that virtually runs the cricketing universe.
Srinivasan has been under fire since June, when first the Delhi police, and then the Mumbai police, exposed how matches were being fixed in the Indian Premier League.
Manohar also claimed that board members, including interim president Jagmohan Dalmiya, had requested him to contest the election for BCCI president. This runs contrary to the belief that Srinivasan had his house in order and had the election in the bag. "Many people, including Mr Dalmiya, requested me to come back and contest. I left the board two years back and I have not entered its premises again. I have no intention to come back. I said if all the members want me, I will not shirk the responsibility. This board has given me a lot and I was willing to give something back."
According to a report in The Indian Express, former BCCI chief Shashank Manohar voiced his opposition to board president N Srinivasan and though he is not the first cricket administrator to have criticised the Tamil Nadu strongman, it appears that voices of dissent within the organisation are growing.
After Manohar's outburst, others within the board, who had previously remained silent due to the lack of a credible alternative to Srinivasan, have begun to voice their dissent.
Goa Cricket Association (GCA) vice-president Shekhar Salkar has called for re-election (for the post of BCCI president) under a 'neutral observer'. "Hope Srinivasan will be debarred from taking over as president and a clean election will be held under a neutral observer. I wish the Supreme Court takes a decision to bar those who are chargesheeted from working as office bearers in any sports organisation," he told The Indian Express. The GCA was one of the six state associations from South Zone that helped Srinivasan get a year's extension as BCCI president.
"We supported him because he was the only one who contested. The opposition group didn't have a central figure to lead the charge, but now both Sharad Pawar and Manohar appear to be taking interest," Salkar explained.
According to a report in The Times Of India, Manohar said that his grouse with Srinivasan is that he has adamantly continued to remain the president of the BCCI at a time when his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan is being investigated by the law enforcement authorities.
"Srinivasan, who is the managing director of India Cements, and his company appointed Meiyappan as Team Principal. In that capacity he represented the Chennai Super Kings franchise at all events and meetings of the board, including player auctions and IPL meetings. Meiyappan was also the person who sat in the dugout during matches. This person is now charged with criminal offence and the gentleman who is talking of collective responsibility (Srinivasan), refuses to acknowledge the said facts and calls his son-in-law an enthusiast," Manohar fumed.