Govt-sponsored process to remove Farooq as President JKCA begins

◆Minister Imran to replace Farooq, Mehboob Iqbal to grab Micky's position

◆Farooq returns from London, calls WC meeting on July 24


Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Jul 19: Supported by the PDP-BJP government, the dissident group of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) is meeting here on Monday to dislodge the National Conference patron and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah as President and senior Congress leader and former Chairman of J&K Legislative Council Arvinder Singh Micky as Chairman of the organisation by bureaucrat-turned-politician Mehboob Iqbal.

Informed sources revealed to STATE TIMES that the State government was clearing decks to install Minister incharge Youth Services & Sports Imran Reza Ansari as the all powerful President of JKCA in place of Dr Abdullah.

Incumbent Chairman Arvinder Singh Micky is sought to be replaced by senior PDP leader Mehboob Iqbal, a retired Commissioner-Secretary to Government who has joined active politics years after he served as Chairman JKCA with Dr Abdullah as President. Dr Abdullah, facing charges of swindling huge funds received from BCCI, has held monopoly in JKCA for most of the times in the last 25 years while functioning as its President.

JKCA's Vice President of Jammu wing Rakesh Kumar, who is leading the dissident group, has called a crucial meeting of the Working Committee (WC) at Sher-e-Kashmir International Cricket Stadium in Sonwar at 10.00 a.m. on Monday. Comprising 62 members----two each from 25 enrolled cricket clubs and seven government-controlled educational and sports institutions----JKCA's WC has been called by Kumar to attend the crucial meeting in Srinagar. Main agenda, according to sources, would be a coup d'etat to replace the nominees of the previous NC-Congress regime elected in June 2014.

Even as Kumar had strategically called the WC meeting during Dr Abdullah’s medical vacation in London, the octogenarian politician returned dramatically from England today and held an informal meeting with the WC members at his Gupkar Road residence. Sources present in the meeting said that almost all the members, with the remarkable exception of Rakesh Kumar, attended and assured their support to Dr Abdullah.

"Dr Sahab is hale and hearty. He asserted to fight the government-sponsored attempts of reshuffle in the association", said a member indicating the possibility of a protest demonstration or press conference tomorrow.

Sources said that on Dr Abdullah’s direction JKCA's General Secretary ML Nehru has issued notice for an important meeting here on July 24. However, influential government functionaries including a Cabinet Minister of PDP and three senior IPS officers are reportedly making "every possible effort" to make Monday's State-sponsored meeting a success and achieve the objective of Dr Abdullah’s and Mr Micky's replacement by Imran Ansari and Mehboob Iqbal.

Seven government-controlled constituents, which have a pivotal role and can tilt the balance in favour of the government-sponsored nominees, are Department of Youth Services and Sports (which will project its Minister and nominee Imran Reza Ansari for the most powerful position of President), Sri Pratap College Srinagar, Amar Singh College Srinagar, University of Kashmir, Government Gandhi Memorial Science College Jammu, Sri Pratap Commerce College Jammu and University of Jammu.

Sources said that on learning about a Minister’s "efforts to influence the election", Dr Abdullah called him by telephone and registered his "protest". However, the Cabinet Minister, according to the sources, denied the charge and asserted that he was not interfering in any manner with the JKCA affairs. "Dr Abdullah has also learned that DGP has been directed by the government to shut the gates of the venue at 10.00 a.m. and ask Police not to allow in "any uninvited member or non-member", said a source.

Asked for his reaction to the dramatic development, Dr Abdullah asserted that he will not make any statement till tomorrow. "I may call a press conference or issue a statement as calling this meeting is brutally illegal and unconstitutional", Dr Abdullah told STATE TIMES.

Another office bearer, who wished anonymity, claimed that only President and General Secretary were authorised to call a meeting of WC for election of office bearers. He asserted that Dr Abdullah and all other office bearers had been elected lawfully for a term of three years in June 2014 under the supervision of a retired District and Sessions Judge who had been appointed as Observed by the Court. He said that Gen Secretary Nehru alone, who is also representing North India as Vice President in BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) was the only authorised office bearer after President to call the WC meeting.

"Dr Abdullah has still two years of his term set by a resolution of Working Committee. How can he be removed by a manipulated and illegal election? He has the additional distinction of being the only life member of JKCA", said the association’s office bearer, asserting that BCCI would never accept a "fraudulent election".

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