Salkar, Varma lambast Manohar after he quits BCCI

Goa Cricket Association's former president Shekhar Salkar and Cricket Association of Bihar secretary Aditya Verma lambasted Shashank Manohar who stepped down as Board of Control for India president on Tuesday so that he can be an independent member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Manohar, who took over as the national cricket board's president for the second time in October last year, succeeded the late Jagmohan Dalmiya. The Vidharbha cricket strongman also quit as the board's representative on the International Cricket Council and also the Asian Cricket Council

"It is a calculated move that he has taken to become the ICC president. There is nothing to do with Lodha committee or anything. He was very smart in this," Salkar told IANS.

"I actually think there is a big conflict of interest. He shared six percent of our revenue with the other countries who are going to be the voters. He paid it to countries like Zimbabwe.. they have to vote for him now," he said.

Salkar said he believes it was not a decision of the BCCI and slammed Manohar for sharing the board's revenue with other countries.

"It was not a decision of the BCCI. It was his move. He also wasted our money. Without consulting anybody he decided to share the six percent of the revenue.

"This is a strategic move. He thought it is better to be ICC president. He would not have to deal with the Supreme Court, so he is running away. No accountability. There is a definite conflict of interest," he said.

Verma believes the revenue Manohar shared with the countries are a bribe to have the ICC chair.

"It is a conflict of interest for Shashank Manohar. It is pure bribe given to countries from BCCI's percentage of revenue from ICC share," he said.

"It is a bribe to get the ICC chair for five years."

Varma added that Manohar had failed to live up to what he had said while moving in as BCCI president.

"Before coming in as the president he spoke highly of the BCCI. After a meeting with Jagmohan Dalmiya he gave an interview to a leading daily saying CBI should enquire about the IPL from 2008... where was the enquiry?"

--IANS

dd/ssp/vd