Ranjib Biswal, BCCI National Selector (East Zone) and present Orissa Cricket Association president
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BCCI National Selector (East Zone) and present Orissa Cricket Association president, Ranjib Biswal( Gopi) is all set to win the top post once again in the apex body for cricket in Orissa as BJD strongman Pyari Mohan pulled himself out of the race for more than one reasons.
Biswal, who is seeking re-election this year, likely to fight against Pradip Chauhan, a former treasurer of OCA and secretary of Cuttack based Union Sporting Club.
According to the insiders, Biswal, the former India Under 19 captain can easily defend the Googly of Chouhan and winning against Chouhan would be a cake walk for the Biswal
Chauhan is the only office bearers of OCA, who used to criticise any fault of OCA president Biswal and Secretary Ashirbad Behera but he has not the magic figure to dethrone the former Orissa Ranji Captain, who has a very good cricketing knowledge.
Chauhan and his Union Sporting Club had proposed the name of BJD MP Pyari Mohan for OCA top post for this year's election. This had triggered speculations last month that Chauhan had managed to rope in the BJD strongman to counter the growing influence of both Biswal and Behera. However, Mohapatra, had dropped the idea keeping in view of his commitment to party work for the elections ahead.
Meanwhile, OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera, on the other hand, is also likely to make an easy victory against Ananda Chandra Nayak of Sundargarh in the fray for the post. Behera, the secretary of Cuttack District Athletics Association, was elected OCA secretary for the first time in 2000. He was elected uncontested in 2004.
The election for OCA has been scheduled to be held on August 17 and final scrutiny of the nominations will be held on Saturday, Association insiders revealed on Monday.
The OCA has 147 voters from 33 district associations, different Cuttack-based clubs and other sporting units across the State. OCA sources said 19 candidates are on the fray for the eight vice-president's posts and eight for three joint secretary's posts.
In 2004, Biswal had defeated Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, Editor of the Oriya daily, "The Sambad".
