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Raju`s move to fight EFI election opposed

Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju`s decision to contest the July 31 election of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) has evoked criticism with former sportspersons crying down the minister`s move.

New Delhi: Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju`s decision to contest the July 31 election of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) has evoked criticism with
former sportspersons crying down the minister`s move. Members of the `Clean Sports India`, created by former Indian sportspersons like hockey captain Pargat Singh, suspect that if Raju contests the poll he may influence the electorate to become the EFI President. "We suspect that Mr Raju may try to use his political influence to get votes of the Army officers working under him to get elected to the EFI presidentship as majority of the electorate is from the armed forces," said a statement issued today. "We appeal to the Army chief General V K Singh, who is a rider himself, not to get influenced by his political boss. We also appeal to Prime Minister and Defence Minister to ensure that their colleagues do not interfere in the sports bodies using their political clout," it added. The Minister has already filed his nomination for the election to be held here and the CSI, a society claiming to create awareness about problems in Indian sports, requested him to reconsider the decision. "Finally we make an earnest appeal to Mr Raju himself that he should reconsider his decision to contest election for the EFI presidentship," the statement said. Pargat last month had launched a scathing attack on the Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi, accusing him of preventing athletes from joining National Sports Federations. Former national players like Arjuna awardee Reeth Abraham, Bhugeshwar Boruah and Sunita Godara are also members of the society. PTI