RCA elections turn into brawl; Modi, Joshi supporters clash
The Rajasthan Cricket Association elections took a violent turn on Monday when the rival supporters of Presidential candidates Lalit Modi and C P Joshi got embroiled in a scuffle outside the RCA office premises in Jaipur.
As the voting started for the much-anticipated elections, the supporters from the two rival camps got into a brawl, which required police intervention.
Modi, a BCCI vice-President and the commissioner of the cash-rich Indian Premier League, alleged that his supporters were being intimidated and stopped from casting their votes.
"We will have to wait and watch at the end of the day. Some of my supporters are being beaten up and it is unfortunate. We hope for the good of cricket people are allowed to cast their votes. But there are goonda elements out here, who shouldn't be here," Modi said.
Modi's close confidante Amin Pathan, who is the secretary of Kota District Cricket Association, Anjani Mathur, secretary of Jodhpur District Cricket Association, and Ramesh Gupta, secretary of Baran Cricket were allegedly manhandled by Congress workers.
The police drove out all the supporters immediately from the RCA premises in the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Modi refused to comment on whether the brawl was started by supporters of Joshi, who is the Union Rural Development minister.
"I won't comment on that. It's sad that something of this sort is happening in a cricket election. People are being intimidated for no reason. I am really surprised. I think the police has taken control and hope they are able to maintain it," Modi said.
The RCA has been mired in controversies off late and is having its elections again in less than a year because Sanjay Dixit, who had defeated Modi in the March 1 election, could not keep his group intact and the State Government had to form an ad hoc body.
The Supreme Court had then directed that the election be held today for which Justice (retired) N M Kasliwal has been appointed as observer.
The scuffle started when Congress workers allegedly objected to the presence of about half a dozen armed bodyguards of Modi in the RCA premises.
Congress MLA Raghu Sharma asked the police to drive out the armed bodyguards but within no time the supporters from the two camps started clashing with each other.
Joshi sought to distance himself from the incident and blamed Modi for instigating the violent clash.
"I am not on the spot, I don't know how these allegations are being made against me. I only know that the other party went with bodyguards. Why do you need bodyguards when you are going to cast your vote? You are coming with bodyguards and provoking us," he said.
"Mr Modi should understand these things. Why is cricket being hijacked by people who have financial interests? He made a contribution and we appreciate it but you cannot take the financial advantage and deprive the state," he added.
When Modi came out after casting his vote, Joshi's supporters allegedly heckled him, shouted slogans and even threw stones at his car.
