Lalit Modi loses RCA elections

NEW DELHI: Union minister CP Joshi was elected Rajasthan Cricket Association president after beating IPL chief Lalit Modi by 6 votes on Monday. Modi lost the elections 19-13.

Earlier, the elections took a violent turn when the rival supporters of Modi and Joshi got embroiled in a scuffle outside the RCA office premises.

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 on Monday for which justice (retired) NM Kasliwal has been appointed as observer.