Odisha Cricket Association: Pranab Prakash Das Files Nomination, Set To Become 2nd BJD Leader To Head Sports Body

Bhubaneswar: With single nominations being filed for each of the six posts, Pranab Prakash Das, Pankaj Mohanty. Sanjay Behera, Prabhat Bhola, Bikash Pradhan and Pratap Pradhan are set to be elected unopposed as president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and member of the association’s apex council of Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), sources said on Friday.

The nominations were required to be filed between 10.30 am and 5 pm. The filing of objection is scheduled for Saturday between 10 am and 12 pm and the scrutiny or disposal of the same will be held between 1 pm and 6 pm. The candidates can withdraw their nomination on Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm and the valid list will be declared on the same day, stated the official notification.

The poll is scheduled on October 28 at the OCA conference hall in Cuttack following which results will be declared after the counting of votes.

The election, however, had been a foregone conclusion since it was clear from the beginning that none would challenge the team of former secretary of Odisha Cricket Association and Odisha Olympic Association Ashirbad Behera and put up candidates. While there was unanimity over the names for the post of president, vice president, and secretary, a clearer picture on the remaining posts emerged later. Three years ago, there was a contest and all members of his team had won the election. Sanjay is Ashirbad’s son.

The entry of Das, who is BJD general secretary (organization), has added a political twist to the election. The three-time MLA from Jajpur became eligible for contesting the election with the ambit of the term ‘Public Servants’ recommended by Lodha Committee for holding posts in state cricket bodies reduced to only ministers and government employees (IAS officers).

If elected, he will become the second BJD politician to head a sports body after Dilip Tirkey, the former India hockey team captain and ex-party MP, who recently took charge as Hockey India president.