JOIN US Beleaguered cricket administrators, most of whom have been disqualified from holding their respective positions in BCCI and State units, gathered here on Friday for a meeting which formally brought together friends-turned-foes N Srinivasan and Anurag Thakur.
It was learnt that around 24 administrators of various state units, who are either disqualified or going into compulsory cooling-off period following Supreme Court’s order on January 2 on Lodha reforms, met here and decided to have another meeting after January 19 when the SC-appointed panel suggests names of new administrators to the run the affairs of the Board. In another development, it is learnt that 21 state units are said to have accepted Lodha reforms.
"Today 21 state units have already written to BCCI that they are adopting Lodha Panel reforms. So if 24 individuals, who are no longer qualified officials meet anywhere in India, no one should be bothered. They are individuals who went on their own capacity. These officials who went stand disqualified as per SC verdict," a source close to Lodha panel said.
"Yes, it was an informal meeting. Thakur and Srinivasan were very cordial with each other. Srinivasan asked if we are all together in it or not. Even Thakur understands, he needs Srinivasan by his side now. Out of 24, at least 18 are still Srini loyalists," a state association official, who attended the meeting here, said.
Asked if there was any discussion of state associations preventing the new set of observers from hosting matches at cricket stadiums, he said: "That's absurd. Nothing of that sort has been discussed. At least it won't happen in my association," said the official from one of the eastern state units.
When asked if there was any discussion on forming parallel body, he said: “Today's meeting was about checking unity and we will again have a meeting in two weeks time. Let January 19 pass and we can take it on from there. As of now, nothing concrete has been discussed. There is a Supreme Court verdict and we can't do anything about it now," he added.