IPL row: End of road for Lalit Modi?

It might be the end of ‘good times’ for Lalit Modi as the BCCI may strip him off his post of the IPL Commissioner.

Zeecric Bureau

New Delhi: It might be the end of ‘good times’ for Lalit Modi as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may strip him off his post of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner and add that extra responsibility on the shoulders of Shashank Manohar, sources have indicated. Sources close to BCCI have confirmed to Zeecric.com that Lalit Modi has been asked to step down in the April 26 meeting of the IPL governing council. It has been learned that incase Lalit Modi refuses to step down, BCCI will convene an emergency AGM meeting and pass a resolution to oust the IPL commissioner. Modi, the master-mind behind the extravagant and cash-rich IPL, has come under the scanner for his public spat with the former Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor over the ownership of the IPL Kochi franchise. Tharoor resigned over the issue last night. Sources in the BCCI claim that the apex body will most certainly sack Modi from his position as they do not ‘approve’ of his way of functioning and may move a resolution to either curb his powers as the IPL Chairman or sack him from the post altogether. “BCCI president Shashank Manohar is not in favour of Lalit Modi and doesn’t approve of his way of functioning”, a source said. “Everyone is upset at what is happening now. The governing council will meet in the next two days,” said a BCCI official. According to the source, BCCI is likely to move a resolution of removal on May 2. Most members of the IPL governing council met in Dharamshala over the weekend and Modi had almost no support. The only support Modi currently has is from former BCCI president and current ICC vice president Sharad Pawar. The technicalities of the administrative structure of the board is such that if Modi challenges the decision, matters can go all the way up to the BCCI general body, in which case each of the 30 state cricket associations that comprise the cricket board and the body’s president will have the final say in the matter. The only way Modi can survive this ordeal is by somehow winning the support of at least 16 state associations at the general body. However, it will be very tough for Modi to win over so many state associations because most cricket administrators are upset at the high level of scrutiny Modi has caused to bring upon the activities of BCCI and associated bodies. "All allegations (against Modi) and other issues would be first discussed in IPL Governing Council meeting which is likely to take place on April 26. Then BCCI Working Committee will take a decision in its meeting on May 2," BCCI`s Media and Finance Committee chairman Rajiv Shukla told reporters here. "BCCI Working Committee meeting has been postponed because all the things have to be discussed in IPL Governing Council meeting first. There is no point in having a Working Committee meeting before that," he added. Shukla said there was no need to ban the Indian Premier League and that the BCCI was capable of handling the whole issue. "No use to ban IPL and it should not be banned also. Every organisation goes through issues, but there is a solution for the same. Wait for the IPL Governing Council meeting first. BCCI is the right forum of handling the whole issue and I hope the Board will come out with a satisfactory decision," he said.