Top PCA office-bearers set to be elected unopposed

With no opponents joining the election race, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are set to run the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) for a three-year term. A candidate did turn in a solitary nomination on the final day to submit papers, but is contesting for the apex council and not the top posts.

Former PCA president Amarjeet Singh Mehta had earlier on Thursday filed his nomination for the post of president, followed by Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh and Punjab AAP general secretary Deepak Bali joining the race for secretary and vice-president, respectively.

The candidature of Siddhant Sharma and Sunil Gupta (Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board Punjab), who filed their nominations for the post of joint secretary and treasurer, have also gone “unchallenged”. It will be Gupta’s second consecutive term as the treasurer.

Notably, this will mark the second occasion that the PCA office-bearers are picked unopposed. Mehta and Gupta will be the most experienced members in the new House.

After the formalities are completed, the new House will be officially declared elected on July 12 by the returning officer.

No challenge to 11-member apex council

Arminder Singh, Rajat Bhardwaj, Chanchal Kumar Singla, Amit Bajaj, Birdevinder Singh Natt and Prabhbir Singh Brar, who had filed their nominations for the apex council under the category of representatives of affiliated district cricket associations, will also be elected to the council without any voting.

Kamal Kumar Arora, Amrinder Vir Singh Barsat and Sahebjit Singh Sehmby, meanwhile, are seeking to be elected members of the apex council under the “life members” category, while Vikram Kumar filed his nomination papers under the representative of the club/college/institutions category.

Gauravdeep Singh Dhaliwal filed the lone nomination for the leftover vacancy on the apex council.

Political clout trumps cricket background

It is pertinent to mention that the soon-to-be office bearers of the new House have more experience in the political arena than cricket.

Mehta, who will be retaining the president’s post for the second consecutive year, had earlier run PCA operations for two years. A former joint secretary and spokesperson of the AAP’s Punjab unit, he had taken over the top PCA post after Gulzar Inder Singh Chahal was removed in October 2022. The process for election was put in motion on February 7, 2023, and Mehta emerged to be the lone contender.

His 26-year-old son, Padamjeet Singh Mehta was recently elected the Mayor of Bathinda after being sworn in as a first-time councillor from the AAP. “During my previous term, the PCA tried its best to uplift the cricketing affairs. The development of players and cricket will continue to achieve new heights. The process to put in place PCA’s new body has been followed thoroughly, and every member of the PCA is dedicated for the development of sports,” said Mehta.

Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh is a familiar name in the political circles as well, but will be a new entrant to cricketing arena. The richest of Punjab’s legislators with assets worth Rs 251 crore, according to his 2022 election affidavit, he had political stints with SAD-BJP combine before winning the 2022 assembly elections on an AAP ticket. Having near no experience in competitive cricket, Singh will be the first ever secretary of the PCA with assets and business spread around the newly built Mullanpur stadium.

Deepak Bali, who is also the adviser to Punjab Heritage and Tourism Board, will also be a new entrant in the PCA body. Like Kulwant, he will be serving the state cricket for the first time. His cricketing background is unavailable with the local fraternity.

Kulwant’s name missing from list

While Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh has filed his nomination for the post of secretary, the list of category members did not carry his name. As per the election notice, only category A members (including representatives are eligible to contest). Kulwant’s candidature is said to have been pushed from the representatives and institution category, which makes him eligible for the post.

Chandigarh