Kirti Azad files nomination for President, lashes out at current DDCA regime

Kirti Azad on Monday filed nomination for the President’s post in the upcoming Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) elections and fired a salvo at the authorities for mismanagement and nepotism.  

Azad, a member of the 1983-World Cup winning team and a former Delhi captain who was part of several Ranji Trophy title wins, will be up against Rohan Jaitley, the current President.

“There is loot here. Eight lifts have been installed for Rs 19 crore. I have found out that they are worth Rs 7 crore 88 lakh (7.88 crore). The floodlights that were installed for Rs 14 crore a few years ago, they were installed in Ahmedabad six months ago for just Rs 7.5 crore even though the Ahmedabad ground is 2.5 times bigger than this,” said Azad after filing his nomination.

He also questioned why the association is yet to appoint a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), does not have a CAG-backed accountant, and why Delhi has failed to win Ranji Trophy for the last 16 years.  

“There is no CEO here at the moment. There is an interim CEO who is an employee of DDCA. They have kept him like this for three years. BCCI has mandated that the cricket associations [affiliated to it] should have a full-time CEO and they should have a person from CAG for accounts. Nothing is there here, why?” questioned Azad.

“Why has the treasurer not signed any paper till now? Why hasn’t the treasurer signed a balance sheet? He approves it, why he hasn’t? That is why I say there is corruption, everything is Golmaal. The secretary has been removed, he hasn’t signed. Who has signed? Joint secretary has signed [financial documents].”

Azad was at his sarcastic best when he touched the subject of Delhi cricket team and its poor performance.

“They have so much talent that they picked 84 players [this season] and out of them 34 end up playing. They have won only one match. These players are directors’ choices, just see how talented they are. They haven’t won for 16 years. Who will answer that? This is DDCA,” added Azad.

“There is massive corruption here, people take money and pick players. Someone from top office takes money. They make their boys play to ensure some benefit to him, like a job due to him becoming a first-class cricketer. They think we’ll make him a coach or a manager as he qualifies [after playing a number of games]. That is why the situation has become so bad.

Kirti Azad after filing his nominations. He says he is very confident of winning

“If you play sifarishi player, and your team loses, you sack the captain but what happens to the selection committee and CAC who had made this team in which sifarishi are playing, directors’ quota are playing.

“I have learnt to fight from Sardar Bishan Singh Bedi. He told us to fight to win against strong teams like Bombay (now Mumbai).”

The 65-year-old, who is an MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur in Bengal, said that he will make the DDCA Club welcoming for its members and improve the facilities.   

“When I come into power, I will try to change both cricket and club, bring professionalism. The club will be run professionally. We will work properly, manage accounts professionally,” said Azad.

He says he will work on providing entry to members during international matches only by showing their membership card and not wait for passes.

“Look at the state of the club. Cricket is such a popular sport. Across the country, you see the facilities at the various stadia, especially for members. There are exclusive facilities for members, there is a separate entrance. The members don't need passes, they can enter through membership cards.

“By giving passes they make you feel as if they are doing you a favour. The passes or entry is our right. What kind of favour you are trying to prove you are doing to us. If you had kept two passes along with free entry then we would have said ok this is something special.”

Azad added that there should be good facilities for the members.

“It is a members’ club. Matches take place here, does that mean members will stop entering? There should be a good bar, an open air restaurant, swimming pool, facilities should be there. I am not even talking about or comparing it with other clubs like Panchsheel Club and Delhi Gymkhana, I am talking about and comparing it with cricket stadia across the country.”

The former all-rounder, who has played 142 first-class matches, scoring 6,634 runs and taking 234 wickets, wound up the interaction by saying that there needs to be overall improvement.

“I am very confident I will win... There should be improvement in club, cricket, professionals should be hired, CEO should be professional. Accounts should be maintained by a CAG appointee. All this is written but nothing is there on the ground.”

Tags : Kirti Azad, Delhi cricket, DDCA elections, Rohan Jaitley, Ranji Trophy, CAG, CEO