Rajasthan Cricket Association elections: Lalit Modi files nomination for president's post

Lalit Modi will contest the upcoming Rajasthan Cricket Association elections. Modi's nomination papers were filed by his lawyers in Jaipur on Monday afternoon. The former Indian Premier League boss and the banned Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president will contest against Ram Pal Sharma from Bhilwara District Cricket Association for the president's post. The elections will be held on December 19. Modi will represent Nagaur District Cricket Association.

Last week Modi's legal counsel Mehmood Abdi confirmed that the former IPL commissioner will fight the polls. Modi has been the president of RCA before. "He is all set to fight the RCA elections. Modi is willing to challenge the BCCI who has banned him for life," Abdi, who is also the president of the Sri Ganganagar District Association, said. Monday was the last day for filing nominations.

Abdi also insisted that there was no legal tangle and Modi was entitled to fight the elections. "His name is already on the eligibility list as president of the Nagaur District Cricket Association and moreover Rajasthan is governed by the Sports Act 2005," Abdi said.

The scrutiny would be done on Tuesday while December 18 is the date for withdrawals. The polling would be held on December 19 between 11 am to 2 pm. According to Justice NM Kasliwal, the results would be sent to Supreme Court in sealed envelope and would be declared later by the apex court. Justice Kasliwal will be the principal observer,.

Modi was banned for life by the BCCI from all cricket matters in India but the suspension was stayed by the Rajasthan High Court in October only to be pulled back recently. Modi had announced his intention to run for the RCA president's post, and Modi's legal counsel had claimed that since the RCA was governed by the Rajasthan Sports Act, the BCCI ban was not applicable on the former BCCI vice-president.

This made the election scenario interesting because Modi's group claims to have support from 24 district units (out of 33 votes). The thumping majority of BJP in Rajasthan has also made the road more difficult for Union Minister CP Joshi, the current RCA president. Joshi will not contest this time.

It is worth recollecting that it was with the then BJP CM Vasundhara Raje, that Sports Act was formulated to pave way for Modi and oust the Rungta clan from RCA in 2005 elections. With Raje soon be taking over as Rajasthan CM, Modi seems to be regaining his foothold in Rajasthan.