Rift in RCA widens as IPL begins

With the start of Indian Premier League (IPL), the factionalism in Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) seems to have intensified.

At a press conference on Thursday, RCA Secretary R.S. Nandhu alleging financial irregularities in the bills of contractor who repaired the SMS Stadium before the start of 11th edition of the IPL.

A day earlier, on Wednesday, speaking to IANS, Nandhu had complained how their section had been sidelined by the RCA President C.P. Joshi and how they had not been issued a single invitation pass.

Speaking to the media, Nandhu said that Joshi had created an impression that the bills of contractor were not being signed by him and RCA Treasurer Pinkesh Kumar Jain.

"The tendered amount was Rs 2.59 crore. But, Joshi is pressuring us to sign a bill for Rs 4 crore," he added.

He alleged that before undertaking repair works exceeding over Rs 2.59 crore, no approval was sought from them.

The tender was granted to M/S Creative Projects Pvt Ltd, which was of Rs 2.59 crore. However, the actual repair work was done by Ramakant Pareek who is close to C.P. Joshi, Nandhu further alleged.

Meanwhile, owing to the alleged pressure from Joshi to clear Pareek's bills, two members of the advisory committee -- Somedra Tiwari and Vinod Saharan -- have resigned.

Nandhu said: "We demand a thorough and detailed inquiry into the actual cost of work done by M/S Creative Projects and probe whether the actual works are being done by Pareek. The pressure put by Joshi is unjustified."

"We can't enter the stadium because our accreditation has not been done," he said, adding: "If he continues pressuring us to pass the bills, we might also go to the High Court."

When asked about his views on Twitter war which erupted between former RCA President Lalit Modi and incumbent President Joshi on late Wednesday, he said: "Read and enjoy this war."

In a Twitter war, Modi slammed Joshi and dragged Congress President Rahul Gandhi into the controversy.

In his tweet, Modi said: "Only thing that CP Joshi wants is to sit back in BCCI and steal, a fine art of looting learnt from his boss Rahul Gandhi and family."

Meanwhile, Joshi fired back at Lalit Modi by tweeting: "Yes Mr @LalitKModi, I am a follower of Sh @RahulGandhi and that too a proud one, as we both don't follow the Path of being a Fugitive and absconding from the Justice. And as far as the launching of an FIR, by all means, come to #India and get one registered.

Problems began when C.P. Joshi defeated Ruchir Modi, son of Lalit Modi, in the last RCA elections, to become president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association.

However, two of Modi's men, Nandhu and Jain managed to be win the elections and hence were appointed as secretary and treasurer.

--IANS

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