NEW DELHI: Hockey India (HI) president Ashok Kumar Mattoo on Monday strongly refuted charges of Hockey Punjab (HP) that the state is being deliberately denied affiliation to the national organisation.

Mattoo also said there is no threat to HI election and it will be conducted January 29.

“There is no conspiracy to keep any state out of the affiliation process. Our intention is not to leave anyone. We are not holding back any state from getting the affiliation. The process is on and we are looking into it,” Mattoo said Monday.

HP president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Punjab deputy chief minister, on Sunday said that there is a “conspiracy” to keep the major hockey playing states out of the affiliation process.

Mattoo said the process of granting affiliation to the state units before the Hockey India poll is still on.

“This is a construction phase and there will be ups and downs. I am not an elected president of HI, but I am trying my best to sort out everything.”