Munde appeals against rejection of nomination for MCA polls

Mumbai: BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Tuesday filed an appeal against the rejection of his candidature for the contest to select the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association at its biennial election scheduled for Oct. 18.

The decision on Munde`s appeal against the verdict by the election officer ? who on Saturday rejected his application on the basis of the residential criteria ? is to be taken up tomorrow, sources said. "His application was rejected as the address on his electoral registration was Beed. He can appeal before Oct. 15," MCA joint secretary Nitin Dalal had said after Munde`s candidature had been turned down. According to MCA rules, only a Mumbai resident can become a governing member of the cricketing body. A representative of Munde`s, who came to file the appeal on behalf of the BJP leader at the association office, submitted residential proof like passport details, power bills etc., the sources added. Munde is allowed to send a representative at the hearing on his appeal, to be presided over by the election officer in the presence of outgoing president Ravi Savant. The verdict would come by 3 P.M. Tomorrow, the sources said. Were Munde`s appeal to be rejected, Union Agriculture Minister and former MCA chief Sharad Pawar will be the sole candidate left in fray for the presidentship. A local club, Stylo Cricket Club from Mazgaon, had forwarded Munde`s name to MCA last month saying the former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister would represent it at the elections. According to rules, a candidate needs to be representing an MCA-affiliated club in order to be able to contest polls.