Sharad Pawar Faces Tough Opponent Vijay Patil in Mumbai Cricket Association Presidential Elections

Sharad Pawar's juggernaut as president of Mumbai Cricket Association will face a stiff hurdle as the former BCCI boss takes on Vijay Patil in a high-profile contest on June 17. Patil has been an MCA vice-president and could make the next level if he can muster the votes with Shiv Sena's support.

The MCA elections seem to be a battle ground for politicians, many of whom are contesting for key positions. The battle is primarily between Patil's Cricket First group and the ruling Pawar-Bal Mahadalkar team. Two years ago, Cricket First won only four of the 17 seats in the MCA management committee. (Republican Party of India Chief Athawale to Contest Mumbai Cricket Polls, May Get Pawar's Support)

Pawar, a former Union minister and Nationalist Congress Party president, is unlikely to have a smooth sailing. For 10 years, ex-ICC president Pawar has been elected unopposed, but Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is backing Patil, whose family owns one of Mumbai's famous sports facilities.

Sena controls around 45 of the 329 clubs that constitute the MCA. Apart from Patil, Sena bigwigs Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale and Thane MLA Pratap Sarnaik will be contesting for the vice-president's position.

Interestingly, they will be up against BJP's Aashish Shelar. Also in fray to become one of the five VPs will be former cricketers Lalchand Rajput, Abey Kuruvila and Dilip Vengsarkar (Pawar group).

Vengsarkar lost the 2011 presidential election to the late Vilasrao Deshmukh. He was vice-president for nine years. The defeat left 'Colonel' so demoralised that he stayed away from the MCA for the next four years. The former batting superstar is taking fresh guard.

(With inputs from Anurag Dwary)