NEW DELHI: ‘You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink’! Even as representatives from 25 out of the 36 state associations “unanimously” decided Wednesday to elect former India goalkeeper and Bengal BJP leader Kalyan Chaubey as the next All India Football Federation president at a meeting in the capital, valid accusations of “third party interference being allowed” were raised.
And in a related development, former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Thursday filed a fresh nomination for the post of president ahead of the AIFF elections that are scheduled to be held on September 2.
The 45-year-old’s nomination was proposed by the Andhra Football Association (AFA) and seconded by the Rajasthan FA. “I have filed my nomination for AIFF president’s post and I feel I am the right person for the job,” Bhhutia told PTI.
“I have played so many games for the country and top clubs and I also know a bit on the administrative side as I am in Mission Olympics Cell of sports ministry as well as in other committees. I want Indian football to reach new heights,” he asserted.
Returning to the charges of third party interference in the efforts being made to ensure Chaubey as the next AIFF president. Rajasthan Football Association president Manvendra Singh staged a walk-out at Wednesday’s meeting. Reason? Singh pointed out that FIFA had banned AIFF because of third party interference, which was again being allowed.
“The members present at the meeting proposed a name saying they were under pressure from their respective Chief Minister or somebody in power to propose the name. So, whoever is under pressure, is under pressure from a third party and that’s what I protested against,” Singh told IANS on Thursday.
“When I spoke at the meeting after Saji Prabhakaran’s opening remarks, I said this whole process involves third party interference which is against the interest of the game. I also said that nobody knows better than the state associations how difficult it is to manage football.
“You have to take all the stakeholders along. And now you are proposing someone’s name who has never worked in a state body, nor run the game even at the district level. So how can he manage national football? This shows there is a third party interest involved in the entire process,” Singh argued.
“In a way, we are all violating the principle of third party interference,” Singh concluded.
Neither Singh’s comments, nor Bhutia’s throwing his hat in the ring is expected to come in the way of Chaubey’s “elevation” to the position long held by Praful Patel.
Telegraph India further reports that “Team Chaubey” will likely have NA Haris (Congress MLA and president of the Karnataka State Football Association) as vice-president and Kipa Ajay (secretary of Arunachal Pradesh Football Association) as treasurer.
As regards Shaji Prabhakaran, Football Delhi president, who, along with Haris, had earlier filed his nomination for the top post, speculation is that he could be appointed as AIFF secretary-general or its chief executive officer.
According to the modified rules, 17 members (including one president, one treasurer and one vice-president) will be elected by the electoral college consisting of 35 member associations.
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