BCCI meeting to pick president on October 4

The BCCI Special General Meeting, during which the board will elect a new president, has been scheduled for October 4 in Mumbai. Nominations for post of president, left vacant by the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya on September 20, have to be filed on October 3.

Shashank Manohar has emerged the frontrunner for the position after receiving the support of Bharatiya Janata Party, the political outfit that runs the federal government in India and wields significant influence in BCCI matters. There are also indications from the board that Manohar is likely to be elected unanimously.

According to a PTI report, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said on the sidelines of the South Africans' tour game in Delhi: "Shashank Manohar is our consensus candidate." Thakur did not specify who the group he was referring to was, though. He also said, "N Srinivasan can come and vote at the SGM."

Over the last week, there has been relentless speculation over the candidature with Sharad Pawar's name doing the rounds at one point, after he was formally backed by N Srinivasan. The proposed alliance, however, fizzled out after some of Pawar's allies in the West Zone remained opposed to any kind of arrangement with Srinivasan.

The East Zone units, which were earlier keen on having their own candidate replace Dalmiya, have subsequently softened their stand.