Ruling group retains power in Mohun Bagan election

The ruling group of Mohun Bagan football club has retained power, inflicting a crushing defeat on the opposition panel headed by former India international footballer Subrata Bhattacharya.

Over 5,000 members cast their vote on Sunday in the election held at the Netaji Indoor stadium here for 20 posts. The ruling panel won all the seats.

Subrata was beaten by former Mohun Bagan midfielder Satyajit Chatterjee, who won by a huge margin of 1,701 votes to become the new football secretary.

Incumbent general secretary Anjan Mitra, current assistant general secretary Srinjay Bose and present finance secretary Debasish Dutta all won. Madan Dutta would be the treasurer.

The executive committee would elect the president in its first sitting.

The 126-year-old club, whose 1911 IFA Shield triumph over East Yorkshire regiment had electrified the entire country then fighting to gain independence from British rule, held the high voltage elections at the end of an intense campaign spread over weeks.

Netaji Indoor Stadium, the venue, saw a stream of ministers, former judges and eminent people from various walks of life apart from sports buffs exercising their democratic rights, an official said, adding that a total of 5,112 votes were polled.

Retired justice Sushanta Chattopadhyay was in-charge of the proceedings, assisted by a team of 120 employees of the income tax department.