MUMBAI: In a surprising development, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Ajinkya Naik has emerged as a formidable candidate in the race to be the president of the association, TOI has learnt.
Following the untimely demise of its late president Amol Kale in New York on June 10, the MCA will conduct the election of its president on July 23 at the Wankhede Stadium.
TOI understands that besides Naik, the others in the race for the MCA presidential post and may contest the elections are Indian National Congress (INC) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Nana Patole, Milind Narvekar and MCA vice-president Sanjay Naik.
"Senior cricketers and club secretaries have expressed a view with me about contesting the MCA president elections. After engaging with all the stakeholders of the association, I will decide before July 10," Naik told TOI on Friday.
Explaining why Naik, who was elected as the MCA secretary in Oct 2022 after polling a record number of votes (286) after he was backed by all the groups, is a popular choice for the top post this time, an MCA member said.
"There's a growing feeling in the MCA that politicians who've little idea of cricket want to become the MCA president for other reasons, and not for the love of the game. The MCA members feel Ajinkya, who understands how the system works, has done well as the MCA secretary in the past couple of years, is an ideal candidate for the president's post," a source in the MCA told TOI on Friday.
The window to file the nominations for the post of president is between July 4-10.
