Incumbents banking on goodwill for Vishwanath

With one day left to go for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) elections - the first in almost a decade - the level of activity has reached fever pitch. Brijesh Patel, the incumbent, is feeling the heat from the group led by Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. With the industrialist Vijay Mallya entering the fray with his big money and persuasive charisma, few are willing to call this result.

The elections have been preceded by acrimonious mudslinging from pretty much all parties and so deep is the mutual hostility that the entire election process - 20 posts will be decided - has been handed to the Registrar of Societies.

For the longest time the Patel faction did not reply in kind to the allegations of financial improprieties, autocratic style of functioning and other charges that the Wadiyar faction has laid firmly at Brijesh's feet. But recently he has begun to respond, attempting to refute the charges, and even threatening legal action for defamation.

In all the mudslinging, though, there's one person on whose face no mud will stick. GR Vishwanath, standing for the post of president, is one of India's greatest-ever batsmen and has maintained a spotless record off the field since his retirement.

The Patel faction is looking to bank on this goodwill. "Vishy is the man to head a cricket association. He has all the qualifications. He's been the captain of India and Karnataka, a gentleman cricketer," Brijesh told Cricinfo recently. "Apart from that, he's been part of this whole programme of developing cricket in the moffusil areas. As a cricketer, he has played in each and every town of Karnataka. He's travelled by train, bus, whatever it took. He got the crowds in in these remote towns. He's been a senior vice-president for the last two terms. What next? We want to elevate him to the president's post."

Wadiyar, though, has other ideas. "I have not been very happy with the way this association has functioned. The KSCA is sitting on public money," he said. "Therefore, you owe some responsibility to the public in general and specifically to the members whom you are answerable to. You have to be very transparent. I intend to bring transparency in the functioning of the KSCA." Wadiyar is talking of radical steps like video-taping all management committee meetings of the KSCA and making these available to the public, should he win.

If Wadiyar is against a heavyweight in Vishwanath, Brijesh appears to have it a touch easier, squaring off for the post of secretary with G Kasturirangan. "Contesting against me is Mr Kasturirangan, who is 75-plus. We have done our work. I think the cricketing fraternity appreciates the kind of work we've done and the facilities given to them," said Brijesh.

Cricket administrators are sitting ducks for all kinds of criticism. It's a largely thankless job and yet the profile has grown to be so high that it's attracting some candidates who would never have considered entering state cricket politics a decade ago.

What's more, holding a position at the state level opens doors for an entry into the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and this is what most covet. So much so that Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, had to call a press conference and insist that he had no stake in what was an "internal matter of the KSCA."

"The president said it right. People in the board are trying to take advantage of our elections here," said Brijesh. "Pressures will be there and people want to get into the cricket board because of the exposure they get. It's the most popular sport and there's visibility."

The entry of Mallya throws up some serious concern for the Brijesh Patel group, although they do not concede as much. While Mallya cannot contest for a post himself, he can be nominated to a committee of the KSCA through Select Cricket Club, run by AV Jayaparakash, the umpire, of which Mallya recently became president. "Vijay Mallya will be a representative of the Select CC. I have no qualms or problems working with anyone," said Wadiyar. "I have certain principles on which I work, and anyone who works with me on those principles will be most welcome. I will never refuse any help or assistance given by anyone interested in promoting cricket."

A split panel is a distinct possibility, and Wadiyar does not rule out any sort of compromise. The scion of the Mysore royal family, and a former MP, Wadiyar said, "If and when we do get into power and they [the opposition] make a suggestion, we will surely be open to accepting them if they are valid and have substance. After all, I am a politician, basically. I always took the suggestions of everyone. You should not forget that politics makes for strange bedfellows."