Muthiah eyes comeback to TNCA as Prez, alleges threat

Chennai, Jun 17 (UNI) Elections, which is the most important matter on the agenda of the Geneal Body meeting on June 29 approaching, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) reputed to be the best run cricketing body in any state in the country, is in a tango.

It's not just the matter of the proverbial battlelines being drawn but the rival factions are daggers drawn, literally as one of the factions puts it.

This faction is none other than the one led by former TNCA President and BCCI President A C Muthiah, who told the mediapersons this evening that the current set of office bearers led by BCCI Treasurer and TNCA President N Srinivasan were forcing and coercing his candidates to withdraw from the fray.

In what would be a battle between two Corporate heads, Mr N Srinivasan of India Cements and Mr Muthiah heading the SPIC group, Mr Muthiah alleged that candidates who are to contest for various posts from his group were being threatened of physical harm even.

Mr Muthiah who issued a formal press release which claimed that faboulous monetary and other inducements were being offered to withdraw the nominations.

In the event of non-compliance to such temptations they were being issued veiled threats and even if this failed, family membes of the candidates of his group were being threatened, he alleged.

Predictably, when contacted the present secretary of TNCA Mr Kasi Viswanathan denied that these were just vacuous charges being made by Mr Muthiah and that they were unwarranted.

''The TNCA is a democratic body and who ever doesn't perform he is thrown out, however, influential he may be'', he told UNI.

Mr Muthiah is seeking to get back the reins of power in TNCA six years after Mr Srinivasan replaced him as President.

Recalling his fruitful stint at the helm in terms of benefits to the state association and benefits to players, Mr Muthiah said ''we had pumped in lot of financial strength to the association and by way of facilities our most significant contribution was the installation of flood lights''.

UNI VV GV RAR KN2058