RCA secretary Dixit suspended

The divisions within the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) intensified with the suspension of its secretary Sanjay Dixit by its president CP Joshi, who is also a central government minister. CP Joshi has named KK Sharma as "acting secretary" of the RCA after Dixit's suspension.

The rift has reportedly manifested itself in the appointment of officials. Joshi appointed an Officer on Special Duty, Giriraj Sanadya, and this move was followed by a counter-appointment by Dixit's side, that of Mahesh Joshi, a Member of Parliament from Jaipur, as Chairman with the support of 15 districts that are part of the state association. The suspension of Dixit was the reaction, supposedly with the support of 20 districts at a meeting in Udaipur involving members of CP Joshi's faction. The RCA has 33 voting units.

"There were 20 district representatives present in the meeting today and an unanimous decision was taken to remove Sanjay Dixit from secretary's post," Sharma was quoted as saying by PTI. "A five-member high power committee including Sharma, Somendra Tiwari, Mahendra Sharma, B.K. Upadhyaya and Giriraj Sanadya was constituted to look into the affairs of the RCA."

"We have two-third majority," Udaipur Cricket Association president Lakshyaraj Singh, who played a pivotal role in Friday's developments, told Times of India. "There cannot be any legal implications here."

Lalit Modi, the suspended IPL commissioner, a bitter rival of Dixit and who lost the RCA elections in 2009 to CP Joshi, supported Dixit's suspension. "Dixit was ruining cricket in Rajasthan. Irregularities have become common in the RCA functioning," Modi was quoted as saying by Times of India. In his response, Dixit tweeted: "Fugitives are not allowed in the RCA, whether through front door or back door."

It has been reported that an annual general meeting will be held where the decisions made by the Joshi faction will be "ratified", though a date for the meeting is yet to be announced.