Mumbai: The Mazgaon Cricket Club has decided to appoint Congress state unit president Nana Patole as its representative to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). Though Patole has remained non-committal, according to a Times of India report, it is believed that he may contest the MCA presidential election scheduled for July 23. The MCA president's post has been vacant since the untimely death of Amol Kale, who passed away in New York on June 10.
Several Politicians Held Key Position Earlier
In the past, several prominent political figures have represented the Mazgaon Cricket Club in the MCA. These include former CMs Sharad Pawar of the NCP, Prithviraj Chavan and Vilasrao Deshmukh of the Congress and former Union Minister Gopinath Munde of the BJP. Notably, Deshmukh led the MCA in November 2011 after defeating former national cricket team captain Dilip Vengsarkar by 47 votes. Deshmukh succeeded Sharad Pawar, who had been at the helm of the MCA for over a decade.
Patole, while speaking to TOI acknowledged the appointment, saying, "The Mazgaon Cricket Club has appointed me as its nominee to the MCA. I am told that the presidential election is scheduled to be held on July 23. I am yet to decide about it. My well-wishers feel I should contest the election."
Potential Candidates In Fray
If Patole decides to run, the election will be closely watched. Potential candidates besides Patole include Shiv Sena UBT secretary Milind Narwekar, a trusted aide of party president Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) general secretary Jitendra Awhad and MCA vice-president Sanjay Naik.
The appointment of Patole has sparked considerable interest due to the involvement of high-profile political figures in the MCA over the years. The election on July 23 promises to be an interesting event, with the potential candidacy of multiple influential personalities making it a compelling contest to follow.
