Modi, Dixit call truce in 'interest of Rajasthan cricket'

Lalit Modi and Sanjay Dixit, one-time bitter rivals in the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), have announced a truce and decided to stand united against the current state administration, headed by CP Joshi. Ousted IPL chairman Modi, who was defeated by Joshi - a minister in the federal government - in the 2009 RCA elections, announced his patch-up with Dixit via his Twitter account.

I have resolved issues with Sanjay Dixit. and will Team with him for betterment of Cricket in Rajasthan. I helped ... m.tmi.me/m7uj3

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) February 19, 2012

"RCA should only have people who will serve the game and [work for the] betterment of the game. There can be no compromise [on] that," Modi wrote. "@Sanjay_Dixit has done that too. Others are there [in power now] because of our differences in the past. Not because they have done anything for the game."

"When two persons with [a] passion for cricket combine, [the] sky is the limit," Dixit wrote in reply to Modi's positive tweet.

Facing a common rival in Joshi has probably played its part in both Modi and Dixit joining forces. It was Joshi who suspended Dixit from his post of secretary, following a rift over the appointment of RCA officials last July. At the time, Modi had supported the move. "Dixit was ruining cricket in Rajasthan. Irregularities have become common in the RCA's functioning," Modi was quoted as saying by the Times of India. In response to that quote Dixit had tweeted: "Fugitives are not allowed in the RCA, whether through front door or back door".

But the bitterness of the past has seemingly now been replaced by a more accommodating attitude. Dixit told ESPNcricinfo, cryptically, that his past differences with Modi were "more of form than that of substance" and was reluctant to elaborate.

The next RCA election is about fifteen months away and Dixit said that the patch-up was made keeping in mind the "long term" benefits. "He [Modi] was in power at the RCA, and I had two-and-a-half years [in charge]. We are the only two people who have done something for Rajasthan cricket," he said. "Shri CP Joshi has no idea of cricket. So we have decided to bury our differences in the interest of Rajasthan cricket."

Dixit said that the current RCA setup, chaired by Joshi, had been keeping him from actively participating in the administration of cricket in the state. "I still am the honorary secretary [of the RCA] but because of some disputes, I am not getting [to play an] active part. [It's] because of Dr CP Joshi's style of functioning."