CWG: PMO note confirms Kalmadi’s appointment

BJP’s attack on Congress got a boost after a note dated December 6, 2004 from the PMO showed the office being involved in appointment of Suresh Kalmadi as chief of CWG OC.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Taking the blame back to the Congress government over the multi-crore CWG scam, BJP’s attack got a boost after a note dated December 6, 2004 from the PMO showed the PM think-tank being involved in the appointment of Suresh Kalmadi as the chief of Commonwealth Games 2010 Organising Committee. The PMO note is in contradictory verses with Sports Minister Ajay Maken`s assertion that it was the NDA that encumbered the government with Kalmadi in the all-important post for conducting the Games. Heeding a crucial note from the PMO, a group of ministers (GoM) headed by then HRD minister Arjun Singh decided on January 29, 2005, that "the Organizing Committee shall be headed by the president of the Indian Olympic Association, Shri Suresh Kalmadi, and this committee will conduct Commonwealth Games 2010. The OC will deal with the government of India through the ministry of youth affairs and sports and with the Delhi government". The first meeting of GoM for coordinating the work relating to organizing the Delhi Games was held on October 25, 2004, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and not the NDA government as alleged. The note said while the GoM headed by Arjun Singh would monitor and oversee the preparation for the Games, an empowered committee would look after the construction of stadia and any other infrastructure facilities required for the Games. "The committee may be chaired by the minister of youth affairs and sports and may comprise of three vice-chairmen -- Lt Governor of Delhi, Delhi chief minister and chairman of Organising Committee," it said. "An Organizing Committee and Executive Board responsible for the conduct of the Games and formulation of sub-committees to be chaired by Sri Suresh Kalmadi, President IOA," said the note. "The Prime Minister has directed that the institutional arrangements mentioned above may be sent to Shri Arjun Singh, minister of HRD, who heads the GoM on the Commonwealth Games, for consideration in the next meeting of the GoM," the note said.