Former India captain Sourav Ganguly takes over as 39th BCCI president
Mumbai, Oct 23: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday took over as the BCCI's 39th president, becoming the biggest name to head the world's richest cricket board.
The 47-year-old Ganguly was officially entrusted with the task of heading Indian cricket for the next nine months at the BCCI's General Body meeting here, ending a tumultuous 33-month reign of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA).
"It's official - @SGanguly99 formally elected as the President of BCCI," the BCCI posted on its Twitter page.
Ganguly's appointment was finalised last week.
In the meeting that was also a reunion of sorts for some of the familiar faces associated with the board before the CoA's institution, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's son Jay Shah was made the secretary.
During his tenure, Ganguly will look to coordinate with old guard such as former President N Srinivasan and ex-Secretary Niranjan Shah, whose children are now part of the BCCI.
Mahim Verma of Uttarakhand became the new vice-president.
Former BCCI president and current junior finance minister Anurag Thakur's younger brother Arun Dhumal became the treasurer while Kerala's Jayesh George took the joint secretary's position.
Ganguly, who took over as India captain during one of its darkest hours following the 2000 match-fixing scandal, will need to demit office by the end of July next year as per the provisions of new constitution, which makes 'Cooling Off' period mandatory after six years in office.
One of the most elegant left-handers to have represented India, Ganguly is expected to make use of his experience gained as the secretary and later president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
He has set a few goals and the primary ones are restructuring of first-class cricket as well as getting the administration back in shape along with getting India's position of reverence back in the corridors of International Cricket Council (ICC).
With the conflict of interest rules in place, Ganguly will face the challenge of having quality cricketers on board as far as the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and national selection committees are concerned.
His take on veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni's international future, Day/Night Test cricket, permanent Test centres will also be dissected.
His tenure begins at a time when the International Cricket Council has left India out of its newly-formed working group, which might affect the country's share in the ICC revenue.
The group has been formed to figure out a new governance structure for the world body.
It's official - @SGanguly99 formally elected as the President of BCCI pic.twitter.com/Ln1VkCTyIW
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 23, 2019
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Siddaramaiah and I have come to understanding, we will abide by it: Shivakumar
Karwar (Karnataka) (PTI): Not willing to make any direct statement on whether there will be a chief minister change in the state, Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar on Friday said that he and CM Siddaramaiah have come to an agreement with the involvement of the Congress high command, and both of them will abide by it.
Stating that Siddaramaiah is CM as per the high command's decision, he clarified that he has never made any comments on the former's tenure.
Siddaramaiah, earlier in the day, had affirmed that he would remain in office for his full five-year term, expressing confidence in the Congress high command's support.
During a discussion in the Assembly on the issues pertaining to North Karnataka's development, Siddaramaiah also said he never mentioned that he was the chief minister for only two-and-a-half years.
"I had never said, he (Siddaramaiah) will not be there (as CM) for five years. I have never said that the high command is not with him. As the high command is with him, he is chief minister today," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Noting that Siddaramaiah is in the post of CM as per the decision of the party, he said, "Both of us have come to an agreement, the high command has got us to an understanding, as per that both of us have discussed and have said several times that we will abide by it and go ahead."
Shivakumar, however, chose not to answer a question, whether there will be a change in the chief minister post or not.
To a question on talks about CM change, he said, "It is you (media) who is talking about it, there is no discussion among us. We will abide by what the party says."
The Deputy CM was on a visit to various temples in the Uttara Kannada district on Friday.
To a question linking his visit to the goddess Jagadeeshwari temple in Uttara Kannada district's Ankola, to his chief ministerial ambitions, Shivakumar said, "I don't want to talk about it, it is between me and the mother goddess. It is between the devotee and the deity. What I have prayed to the goddess and what she told me is between us."
He said, five years ago he had come to the temple regarding some issue concerning his family and his wish was fulfilled. "So I'm visiting the temple as a mark of gratitude and to seek blessings for me, the state and the people who believe in me. I'm going back happily."
