In a dramatic turn of events, former Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur is reported to be in the fray for the president’s post in the upcoming elections of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
On Monday, Thakur’s name was sent as one of its two representatives by Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA) to attend the Annual General Meeting and be part of the electoral college for the federation’s March 28 elections, Hindustan Times reported.
BFI president Ajay Singh is seeking re-election and things could get interesting with Thakur entering the picture. Per New Indian Express, the SpiceJet chairman and managing director, who has served two terms as BFI president and is going for a third term, also has some backing. And like the last election, where he had to face a stiff challenge from senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar in 2021, it could be a close race for the top post.
The BFI had called for an Annual General Meeting on March 28 where the elections for the new executive body would be held. According to BFI’s notice, March 10 was the last day for sending nominations.
“We have nominated Anurag Thakur ji and president Rajesh Bhandari as our representatives for the AGM,” HPBA secretary SK Shandil told HT. Asked whether Thakur would contest for the president’s post, he said: “We have to wait and see.”
Thakur, a BJP Lok Sabha MP and former BCCI president, is part of the Himachal boxing body’s executive board, he said. “He has been long associated with HPBA, serving in various capacities,” Shandil added.
On March 4, BFI secretary general Hemanta Kumar Kalita issued notice for election with March 28 as the date. On March 7, BFI announced the appointment of former Delhi HC judge, justice RK Gauba, as returning officer. The state units were asked to send the names of their representatives by Monday, March 10, 6.00pm.
On the matter of Thakur’s nomination, HT reports that some BFI members raised objections to the clause in the election notice issued on March 7 stating that “only bonafide and duly elected members during the election AGM (notified to BFI) of the state units affiliated with the BFI shall be authorised to represent their respective States/Union Territories,” which including Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh units on grounds of “interference in internal affairs of state units”.
HPBA said the “provision unlawfully restricts” the autonomy of the state units in picking their representatives.
“The communication further imposes an arbitrary and additional requirement that representatives must be elected at an AGM… Under the existing BFI regulations each state unit has the prerogative to nominate representatives based on its internal governance structure,” HPBA president Rajesh Bhandari wrote to Ajay Singh, urging him to withdraw the notification.
