MHA ELECTIONS

Cake walk for Khan faction likely

Pune: The quadrennial elections for the executive committee of Maharashtra Hockey Association (MHA) are slated on Sunday and it appears that Ikram Khan faction may win it unopposed as his rival camp led by Kumar Agalgaonkar has not filed the nominations

The last date for filing the nominations was on August 30 and MHA vice-president Agalgaonkar told TOI from Kolhapur that he and his camp were not interested in the elections.

Agalgaonkar said that “he would rather work to provide better facilities to Kolhapur than be just a member of a body and do nothing.”

“I am busy with a project in Kolhapur. Our district is working on a synthetic turf stadium to be named after Major Dhyan Chand which is funded by the State government. We will shortly receive Rs three crore towards the development of the stadium and I am happy with my work here,” Agalgaonkar said.

The elections should have been held last year, but Agalgaonkar had moved the charity commissioner against the MHA for not functioning the body properly and inclusion of 43 new members.

Agalgaonkar said that since the MHA had not submitted change reports for many years, the charity commissioner did not accept.

Former State player Khan’s faction is being supported by Victor Ellis and MHA president Sarosh Nagarvala. Khan said all the 121 members have been sent notices regarding the annual general body meeting to be held at the Dr. Erin Nosh Nagarwala School followed by the election.

Khan said that during his tenure, the MHA had done several activities for the development of hockey and conducted more than 10 tournaments not just in the city but also in Ichalkarani (near Kolhapur).

However, the big problem still persists. For the last five decades, the MHA could not have its own office. Currently it functions from Khan’s office near Kalyani Nagar. Earlier all the correspondence was done from N.D. Nagarwala school office.

Even the MHA authorities have not applied for grants from the state government unlike the district associations who have been doing well for infrastructure development in their area.

Meanwhile, some of the members have alleged that they have not received any notice related to the AGM and the elections.

“I haven’t received any notice of the election and I am not interested,” said former MHA secretary Jayram Kuchekar while talking to TOI from his Satara residence.

MHA vice-president Gulabrao Pol, who is Deputy Inspector General of Police and posted in Mumbai, said: “I will not be able to attend the AGM as I am busy with the police bandobast in Mumbai because of Ganesh Festival. Moreover, I have not received any notice regarding the meeting and elections.”