Dalmiya set for unopposed re-election as CAB president

Seasoned sports administrator and Indian cricket board acting chief Jagmohan Dalmiya is all set to be re-elected unopposed for another term as Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Wednesday.

Contrary to many previous occasions, when it saw high-voltage elections, the 82nd AGM of the CAB would be a tame affair with the official panel poised to win unchallenged.

Even last year, Dalmiya faced a challenger in his age-old rival Samar Pal, but had little difficulty in sailing though 104-14.

Dalmiya has been heading the cash-rich CAB since 1993, except for a 19-month hiatus after he resigned in December 2006 on being expelled from the Board of Control for Cricket in India for alleged embezzlement of funds. But he rode back in style in 2008 defeating the incumbent Prasun Mukherjee.

But while the electoral sparks could be missing, the presence of former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly would add to the star value. The local hero would represent Barisha Sporting, the club in his locality of Behala.

The only change in the CAB would be the election - unanimous - of former BCCI joint secretary Gautam Dasgupta as trustee board chairman. The four other members to the trustee board would also be new - Russi Jeejeebhoy, Samar Kar, Shibaji Roy and Shivkumar Kalyani.