IAS officer Sanjay Dixit defeats Lalit Modi 18-13,Dixit faction takes all posts,Paid back in own coin

Life came a full circle for Lalit Modi on Sunday, when he expectedly lost the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) presidential election by five votes (13-18) to a bureaucrat, Sanjay Dixit, who had the blessings of the entire state machinery.

The result must have brought a feeling of déjà vu for Modi who had dethroned the Rungtas from the RCA four years ago with the entire might of his mentor Vasundhara Raje behind him.

There was a touch of irony in Modi’s tale. Indian Administrative Service officer Dixit, who was responsible for framing laws that had helped Modi become Rajasthan cricket’s undisputed king, is the man who will succeed him as the new president.

Dixit was once Modi’s right-hand man. But he had become his sworn enemy a few years later. The victory is sweet revenge for the wily bureaucrat too.

But the man of the match was undoubtedly Subhash Joshi, Modi’s erstwhile subaltern, who emerged as the kingmaker by plotting the downfall of his mentor.

In many ways, Modi’s defeat was expected. He had always been the thorn in the flesh of the Congress, especially chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who always referred to him as an extra-constitutional authority. Modi was also accused of meddling in the affairs of the government because of his pal ‘Vasu’ (Vasundhara Raje). Since Raje lost the Assembly polls in December last year, the countdown for Modi’s decapitation had begun in relevant circles. In another setback to the Modi camp, Ameen Pathan lost the election for the post of secretary by seven votes (12-19) to Ashok Kumar Ohri, who is president of the Churu District Cricket Association. Modi’s embarrassing exit from the RCA will officially have no bearing on his position in the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) as well as chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Also a vice-president of the Punjab Cricket Association, Modi held the state government responsible for his defeat. “I paid the price of being close to Raje. The state go
vernment did whatever it could to defeat me. “But the loss will have no bearing on the IPL matches. They will be held in Jaipur only,” Modi said after the election results were announced. 

The winning team

President: Sanjay Dixit, Dy president: Shiv Charan Mali, Vice-presidents: Mohammad Iqbal, Rajesh Kumar Mathur, Vimal Sharma, Rajendra Singh Rathore, Rajkumar Mathur and Sushil Sharma, Hon secy: Ashok Kumar Ohri, Treasurer: CP Ojha, Hon jt secys: Giriraj Sanadhya, Navendu Tyagi, Ashok Gehlot and Vivek Vyas n Organising secys: Farooq Ahmed, Karunesh Joshi, BK Upadhyay and Pradeep Nagar,Executive members: Deva Ram Choudhary, Ratan Singh and Krishna Nimawat

Ball-by-ball

10 am :- Lalit Modi is adamant to head the special GBM. Dixit vehemently opposes.
10.30 am :- With the two factions squabbling, Kasliwal walks out of meeting.
10.45 am :- Dixit files complaint with police against Modi for allegedly threatening him.
11.00 am :- Election process begins and Modi casts the first vote.
12 noon :- Modi faction claims it will win the elections by two votes.
12.30 pm :- Dixit group says they have 19 pucca votes while Modi’s side has 12 votes.
1.00 pm :- All the eligible district cricket associations cast their votes.
4.00 pm :- After results are declared, Dixit faction celebrates win amid drumbeats.
4.10 pm :- Modi leaves the Future Cricket Academy in a huff.
4.30 pm :- Dixit holds press meet and announces that the Modi era at RCA is over.
5.00 pm :- The winning party heads to a temple to offer prayers.

6.30 pm :- The winners hold first meeting. make Subhash Joshi RCA chairman.

Syed Intishab Ali/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication