It could be the moment of truth for Lalit Modi. The high profile chairman of the Indian Premier League is locked in an acrimonious battle for the reins of the Rajasthan Cricket Association. Sanjay Dixit, a senior IAS officer in the Rajasthan government is providing Modi the kind of resistance that even Jagmohan Dalmiya could not pose to his authority.

A win or defeat may not immediately affect Modi's twin positions — the vice-presidency of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the chairmanship of IPL — but an adverse result would be an embarrassment for the jet-setting administrator of Indian cricket.

Helped by a string of favourable court orders, Modi has weathered a heavy storm witnessed early this month — one of them was Supreme Court's order upholding the constitution adopted by him — but he still has to pass the test of mathematics on Sunday.

On the eve of the election, both factions have claimed majority. In fact, both Modi and Dixit groups have claimed support of 19 votes —clear cut majority in an electoral college of 32. Claims apart, there have also been allegations and counter allegations.

Modi has alleged that the Ashok Ghelot-headed government in the state has been intimidating his supporters while his adversaries contend that the BCCI vice-president has applied three-pronged pressure — political, judicial and financial — on the 32 district associations which form the electoral college for Sunday's election.

"He is using political and financial clout. But that will not work. Dixit will emerge a clear winner," said Kishore Rungta, a long-standing Modi-baiter.

The former RCA president was also expected to throw his hat into the ring but Rungta has said that he is disgusted with the murky politics in cricket administration.

Dixit alleged that Modi has kept the voters in captivity and has not allowed them to speak to even their families. "Our fight is against corruption in sports. Modi is exercising financial muscle to win over the votes. He is depending on proxy votes. We will not allow this," the horticulture secretary in the state government said.

Modi supporters, however, pooh-poohed the allegations. "We'll win with a thumping majority. The result will be a slap in the face of Chief Minister," a Modi aide said.

The elections will be supervised by Justice NM Kasliwal, a retired judge of Supreme Court.

The final outcome of the election will depend on how many proxy votes are cast and allowed. It is believed that the more the proxy votes the better it would be for Modi yet one cannot be sure of the outcome. So watchout for the breaking news in the telly on the morrow.Lalit Modi