Sharad Pawar in Four-Way Contest for Mumbai Cricket Association President's Post

Sharad Pawar will feature in a four-way contest in the upcoming Mumbai Cricket Association elections. The former BCCI chief will be up against Vijay Patil, Mumbai BJP chief Asish Shelar and Ravi Savant in the June 17 elections.

Pawar was elected unopposed as MCA president in the previous elections but this time it looks a full-fledged contest. June 13 is the deadline for withdrawing nomination.

Patil, who heads the Cricket First group in the MCA elections, is the outgoing vice-president under Pawar. Among others who have filed nominations to contest the elections are former India captain and ex-chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, who is aiming to make a comeback as a vice-president after a few years' gap.

Vengsarkar has been fielded by the ruling Pawar-Bal Mahaddalkar group, which is also backing BJP MLA Shelar and Vinod Deshpande for the same post with one of the trio set to withdraw from the contest to elect two VPs.

Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shevale, along with the party's MLA Pratap Sarnaik, have filed nominations for the vice-president's post along with former cricketers Abey Kuruvilla, Lalchand Rajput and Sanjay Patil - from Cricket First group.

Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athavale has also entered the fray for the VP's post as an independent candidate. Outgoing VP Savant has also filed his nomination to contest for one of the two joint secretary's post along with incumbent P V Shetty and Deshpande as the candidates of Mahaddalkar group. Unmesh Khanvilkar and Sanjay Patil, from Cricket First group, have filed nominations to contest for the same posts.

Ex-cricketers Mayank Khandwala and Rajput have also filed nominations (from Cricket First) for the treasurer's post along with Nitin Dalal and Deshpande of the Mahaddalkar panel.

Cricketer-turned coach Pravin Amre has entered the fray contesting for the 11-member committee and is backed by Cricket First group.

(With inputs from Anurag Dwary and PTI)