Zeecric Bureau
New Delhi: Controversial IPL chief Lalit Modi said that he won’t step down from his post even as reports suggested that Sharad Pawar, who had been backing the beleaguered IPL chief during the entire controversy, has finally made up his mind to get rid of him.
On his return from Dubai, Modi said that the reports of his stepping down as IPL Commissioner are mere speculation and that he will not step down under any circumstances.
Modi’s bodyguards were also involved in an ugly scuffle with some media persons at the Mumbai airport.
Earlier, sources claimed that BCCI chief Shashank Manohar will take over as the additional responsibility of the IPL chairman after Lalit Modi tenders his resignation on April 26.
Pawar has reportedly told Modi that he has no other option but to step down as the controversy over the billion-dollar league has dented the entire board’s reputation.
Earlier in the day, claiming that he has ‘nothing to do’ with the IPL, Pawar said that any decision regarding the beleaguered league and its boss would be collectively taken by the BCCI governing council.
Speaking to reporters after a marathon two-hour meet with BCCI president Shashank Manohar in the national capital, Pawar said, “The committee will take collective and unanimous decisions. My personal view carries no weight, we take collective decisions. Lalit Modi is also a BCCI vice-president and the decision will be unanimous”
Significantly, Modi is also expected to be in New Delhi later in the day to make his last stand clear. Reports had earlier claimed that he might be asked to resign on Tuesday itself.
Importantly, Pawar had held discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and later with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram to chart out the future discourse of the controversial T20 league.
The Cricket Board rescheduled its Working Committee meeting from April 24 to May 2 as it wants the IPL governing council – which is expected to meet here on April 26, a day after the IPL final – to first discuss the issue of Modi’s resignation.
Reports claimed that the government has categorically told Pawar- former BCCI president and current ICC President Elect- that Modi has to go at any cost. This in turn, proves that the government does have incriminating evidence to prove Modi’s murky dealings.
Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye as there are strong indications that BCCI bosses want Modi out at any cost for his alleged mismanagement of the billion dollar Twenty20 league.
Sources are also claiming that the post of IPL Commissioner may be dissolved to bring-in depolarisation of power. As per the new plan, a three-member committee will look after the affairs of the league. The committee would comprise of an ex-player, a BCCI official and a marketing official with the BCCI President acting as an interim IPL chief till a new arrangement is being made.
With the odds stacking against him, Modi is fast losing ground as it is now clear that his biggest supporter Sharad Pawar has completely washed his hands off him.
Modi is under fire after he triggered the controversy by tweeting Kochi franchise’s stakeholding pattern, which also brought the cricket board under the Income Tax department’s scanner.
He is also being accused of having helped his family and friends buy stakes in various IPL teams.
New Delhi: Controversial IPL chief Lalit Modi said that he won’t step down from his post even as reports suggested that Sharad Pawar, who had been backing the beleaguered IPL chief during the entire controversy, has finally made up his mind to get rid of him.
On his return from Dubai, Modi said that the reports of his stepping down as IPL Commissioner are mere speculation and that he will not step down under any circumstances.
Modi’s bodyguards were also involved in an ugly scuffle with some media persons at the Mumbai airport.
Earlier, sources claimed that BCCI chief Shashank Manohar will take over as the additional responsibility of the IPL chairman after Lalit Modi tenders his resignation on April 26.
Pawar has reportedly told Modi that he has no other option but to step down as the controversy over the billion-dollar league has dented the entire board’s reputation.
Earlier in the day, claiming that he has ‘nothing to do’ with the IPL, Pawar said that any decision regarding the beleaguered league and its boss would be collectively taken by the BCCI governing council.
Speaking to reporters after a marathon two-hour meet with BCCI president Shashank Manohar in the national capital, Pawar said, “The committee will take collective and unanimous decisions. My personal view carries no weight, we take collective decisions. Lalit Modi is also a BCCI vice-president and the decision will be unanimous”
Significantly, Modi is also expected to be in New Delhi later in the day to make his last stand clear. Reports had earlier claimed that he might be asked to resign on Tuesday itself.
Importantly, Pawar had held discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and later with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram to chart out the future discourse of the controversial T20 league.
The Cricket Board rescheduled its Working Committee meeting from April 24 to May 2 as it wants the IPL governing council – which is expected to meet here on April 26, a day after the IPL final – to first discuss the issue of Modi’s resignation.
Reports claimed that the government has categorically told Pawar- former BCCI president and current ICC President Elect- that Modi has to go at any cost. This in turn, proves that the government does have incriminating evidence to prove Modi’s murky dealings.
Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye as there are strong indications that BCCI bosses want Modi out at any cost for his alleged mismanagement of the billion dollar Twenty20 league.
Sources are also claiming that the post of IPL Commissioner may be dissolved to bring-in depolarisation of power. As per the new plan, a three-member committee will look after the affairs of the league. The committee would comprise of an ex-player, a BCCI official and a marketing official with the BCCI President acting as an interim IPL chief till a new arrangement is being made.
With the odds stacking against him, Modi is fast losing ground as it is now clear that his biggest supporter Sharad Pawar has completely washed his hands off him.
Modi is under fire after he triggered the controversy by tweeting Kochi franchise’s stakeholding pattern, which also brought the cricket board under the Income Tax department’s scanner.
He is also being accused of having helped his family and friends buy stakes in various IPL teams.
The vast majority of the millions of cricket fans across the world are aware of the magic that Modi has spun with the IPL and they would not want him to go. The whole drama of his guilt is being orchestrated by the Congress. They have managed to get Sharad Pawar to fall in line with allegations against his son-in-law. It is revealing that vital papers to prove this is missing - which means that the Congress will produce it if Sharad Pawar fails to fall in line. This is blackmailing at its worst. In order to call the Congress bluff, Modi must not oblige anyone by resigning. Let him fight till the end, to the last ball of the last over. This is expected from one who was not bowled over when the whole political class said that the IPL cannot be played in India due to elections. He coolly took it to South Africa and the rest is history.
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