AJAY PHUYAL/Republica
KATHMANDU, Oct 25: The sports governing body, National Sports Council (NSC), is all set to reshuffle the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Tuesday.
NSC is preparing to form a new committee under the presidency of UCPN (Maoist) central member Tanka Angbuhang, according to a highly-placed source at NSC.
“NSC is in the final stages of reshuffling CAN and there is likelihood of CAN being reshuffled tomorrow (Tuesday) itself,” a senior official at NSC told the Republica, requesting anonymity. “We are bound to reshuffle CAN as it has not conducted elections for years and players are criticizing the current leadership.”
According to the source, the need to reshuffle CAN is felt also because it defied NSC ultimatum to conduct elections within two months after the appointment of a new leadership in NSC. “Looking at the achievement of Nepali cricket in international arena and the upcoming international tournament to be hosted by Nepal, we did not want to meddle in CAN affairs but we have no alternatives available,” the source said.
NSC Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama admitted that NSC is in the final stage of reshuffling CAN but he did not disclose the date for the reshuffle. “We are discussing about various candidates and a suitable person will be appointed to the post,” Lama said.
“Though current CAN President Binay Raj Pandey and former president TB Shah are also in the reckoning, it has already been decided to appoint Angbuhang to the post,” the source said, adding that Angbuhang´s name was propped up under a straight directive to this effect from UCPN (Maoist) President Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Nepal U-25 team is participating in the First SAARC Cricket Championship to be held in Maldives from October 31 to November 6 and soon after that Nepal will host the ACC T20 Cup from December 8-10.
The 32-year Angbuhang however declined to comment anything before he is formally appointed CAN president. “So far, there has not been any formal announcement. I will hold a press conference after the formal announcement,” Angbuhang said, who is believed to be close to UCPN (Maoist) President Dahal.
Angbuhang who hails from Taplejung is said to be involved in Maoist people´s war since 2054 BS. He was a Maoist candidate from the Taplejung constituency no 2 and also a member of interim legislature. He is claimed to have played cricket up to the age of 18 years, before he joined the people´s war.
There is little possibility of the current board members to be in the new executive committee, the source said.
NSC leadership had fixed August 26 as the deadline for conducting elections to all member associations. Later, NSC had extended the deadline by two weeks for conducting the election.
But CAN did not hold elections even during the extended deadline. Former national players including Aamir Akhtar had filed a public interest litigation against CAN, blaming it for not holding elections for over six decades.
Meanwhile, the statute submitted by CAN to NSC has also been controversial.
The statue approved by CAN has given the voting rights to regional representatives and ignored the voting rights of district representatives. The same statute submitted by CAN 13 years ago to NSC was approved recently.
Some former players in a press conference had demanded to amend the statute on the grounds that the statute has not given rights to districts, players, coaches and umpires.
Originally published at Myrepublica.com
