Pawar gets path cleared for ex-rival Deshmukh

MUMBAI: It is a scene which seemed increasingly possible in the last few days. And it has queered the pitch for former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar in his quest to be the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president. Finally, the politicians have left behind their differences in their bid to beat him in the MCA elections, scheduled to be held on July 15. At a meeting that took place at a hotel in Kandivli on Sunday, Sharad Pawar and Vilasrao Deshmukh shared the stage, and Pawar announced the support of his and the powerful Bal Mahadalkar group, which backs him, for Deshmukh's candidature for MCA presidentship.
It is clear that both the National Congress Party (NCP) and Congress leaders have thrashed out a 'coalition' strategy. Pawar blamed the media for his decision to back out at the last minute from the elections because of a technicality that he was a resident of Baramati and not Mumbai and this could not contest the MCA elections. "I backed out because the media would have made a big issue over my address if I would have contested the elections. It would have been easy to fight in the court over that issue but the media would have been critical about me," he said on Sunday. Earlier, Pawar, who heads the MCA, removed the little cobwebs that lied in Deshmukh's path, and the Union minister can expect rest easy as far as his eligibility to contest the MCA elections is concerned. Nadeem Memon of the Dilip Vengsarkar camp, who had objected to Deshmukh's candidature on the grounds of his Mumbai residential address, withdrew his appeal after Pawar requested him to do so. "I went to Mr Pawar's residence at 11 in the morning with my appeal. At around 3 pm, Pawar met me and requested me to not take the matter further as it would ultimately drag both the parties to the court, and bring a bad name to the MCA. Pawar saheb felt that both Vengsarkar and Deshmukh should have a fair contest in the polls. I accepted his request and withdrew my appeal," Memon told TOI on Sunday.
Nadeem had pointed out that Deshmukh's permanent address on government websites is that of Latur while his present address is listed as 14 Akbar Road, New Delhi. Deshmukh, in his defence, had produced a copy of his passport and various other documents which show his permanent address in Mumbai.
The developments, however, seem unlikely to dampen Vengsarkar's campaign who sources said still has an ace up his sleeve. Former India captain Kapil Dev is likely to make public his support for his former teammate at Vengsarkar group's final meeting at CCI on Wednesday.