BJP Leader Samir Dey Is New Football Association Of Odisha Prez; Change Of Guard In OCA Next?

Bhubaneswar: Former minister and senior BJP leader Samir Dey has been elected without contest to the post of president of Football Association of Odisha (FAO).

The Rising Student Club had forwarded the name of the former minister for the post, sources said, adding that a formal announcement in this regard will be made on July 21 when election of the FAO office-bearers is scheduled.

Ashirbad Behera will continue to be the secretary.

On Tuesday, Debasish Samantray tendered his resignation from the FAO president post. “Due to my busy schedule and personal engagement, I am unable to give justice to the post of President, FAO. Therefore, I resign from the post and I am sure under your leadership the association will work in promoting football in Odisha,” he said in the letter to FAO secretary.

Samantray had won the last two terms consecutively, representing the Radharaman Club of Cuttack. However, the club did not send his name this time.

A change of guard was expected in sports organisations, headed by BJD leaders, amid a change in the political scenario in the state after the recent elections when BJP won majority in Vidhan Sabha and 20 of 21 Lok Sabha seats.

Sources also said that president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) Pranab Prakash Das may also quit. Sanjay Behera, son of Ashirbad Behera is the secretary of OCA. It is being attributed more to internal politics as equations between Das and Sanjay had soured during the general elections over ticket distribution. While Sanjay was keen to fight the Cuttack-Barabati seat on a BJD ticket, the party fielded Prakash Behera, who finished third in the contest.