Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s grandson Aditya was on Tuesday elected as president of a cricket club that is affiliated to the Mumbai Cricket Association. According to sources, this is the Yuva Sena chief’s first step towards getting into the MCA, which governs all city-based cricketing activities.
Aditya was elected unopposed as the president of Young Friends Union Cricket Club based in Azad Maidan. He was registered as a player in the club in 2005.
In the recent years, many politicians have been vying for lucrative cricket governing bodies; political leaders like former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi of the Shiv Sena and Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh have been appointed to various posts in the MCA. In fact, NCP chief Sharad Pawar who is the president of the International Council for Cricket has also held the post of MCA president. As being a member of a club affiliated to the MCA is a prerequisite to get elected to the MCA, speculation of Aditya’s appointment as president of the club is not unfounded.
However, Aditya rubbished the rumours, claiming that he wanted to take active role in cricket administration, to better the facilities provided to cricketers. “The cricketing facilities in the city have been neglected for too long. Not only the pitches, but even basic facilities at the clubs are non-existent. Now, I will be in a position to bring about changes by working at the grassroot level,” he said.
Aditya also refuted that he was eyeing a post in the MCA. “My intentions are very clear and I am not interested in taking up posts just for the sake of the name or any other benefit,” he said.