Savant panel files nominations to contest MCA polls

The ruling group members in the Mumbai Cricket Association, including president Ravi Savant, on Thursday filed their nominations for the association`s biennial polls scheduled on October 18.

Mumbai: The ruling group members in the Mumbai Cricket Association, including president Ravi Savant, today filed their nominations for the association`s biennial polls scheduled on October 18.

Savant is bidding to become one of the two vice presidents of the MCA following the panel`s decision to support former chief Sharad Pawar to return to the helm after a gap of five years. Also filing their nominations to retain their posts as the two joint secretaries are Dr P V Shetty and Nitin Dalal who are expected to go into a direct contest with another group led by MCA`s vice president Vijay Patil. Current vice president Vinod Deshpande has filed his nomination to contest for the post of treasurer, Dr Shetty informed. "One more panel member, that`s yet to be decided, will file his nomination tomorrow for the post of vice president," said Deshpande. The vacancy has arisen following the withdrawal from fray of Ashish Shelar, the Mumbai BJP president. The presidential poll would see a direct fight between top Maharashtra politicians Sharad Pawar, the Union Agriculture Minister and NCP supremo, and BJP`s deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde. Pawar filed his nomination for president`s post yesterday, a day after Munde filed his to give the polls a heavy political tinge. Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan is to represent an affiliated club at the polls but has not yet expressed an interest to contest them as a candidate. The last date of nomination is tomorrow followed by their scrutiny and the candidates have time till October 15 to withdraw them.