Binny front runner for KSCA president’s post

Former India paceman Roger Binny has emerged as the front runner to contest for the President’s post of the Karnataka State Cricket Association which will go to polls on October 3.

The hero of India’s World Cup triumph in 1983, Binny has previously served as the vice-president of the association both during Brijesh Patel and Anil Kumble regimes. Hectic parleys were still going on to finalise the candidates for the five office bearers’ posts that will be contested along with 11 Managing Committee members in 19-member Council. The remaining three posts will be nominated ones -- two players’ representative (male and female) and a CAG representative.

Former Karnataka player and current member of the Senior selection committee, J Abhiram, has been tipped to run for the position of Vice-President while there are a couple of names floating around for the Secretary’s post, according to multiple sources associated with the development.

Current Joint Secretary Santosh Menon’s name was doing the rounds for a while but in the latest development, entrepreneur and Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association Secretary Sunder Raju has emerged as a strong candidate. However, Raju, to be eligible to contest the KSCA elections, will have to resign from KSLTA as an individual can’t be holding a position in another sporting organisation simultaneously, according to new BCCI constitution.

KSCA MC member Vinay Mruthyunjaya is likely to be fielded for the Treasurer’s post while the Brijesh Patel-guided ruling combine is yet to zero in on a candidate for Joint Secretary.

On Thursday, KSCA-appointed electoral officer M R Hegde announced a calendar of events that begin with the filing of nominations on Friday.