Dalmiya eager to improve relations with BCCI

Kolkata, Jul 30 (UNI) Newly elected Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya is seeking to mend fences with his detractors in the BCCI.

''There is a lot of apprehension about CAB's relations with BCCI, now that I am back. There are two types of issues - collective and personal. Collectively, we want to tell the board please don't let the CAB suffer. I will extend my hand of friendship to the board,'' Dalmiya told mediapersons at the Eden Gardens here last night.

Dalmiya regained the post of CAB president after defeating incumbent Prasun Mukherjee by a resounding 24-vote margin.

Dalmiya got 71 votes, while only 47 CAB members voted for Mukherjee whose 17-month stint came to an end.

The former BCCI chief could not resist taking a potshot at his former colleagues in the national board when asked BCCI could now try to create trouble for him by taking legal measures.

''Would they have kept quiet (in the run-up to the elections) if they had any such options?'' he asked.

When asked about the CAB's discontent over ticket distribution for the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at the Eden Gardens, Dalmiya said, ''IPL was an amazing success and it is here to stay. Since CAB is one of the staging associations, I have to see that we run it properly.'' The 68-year-old parried queries on Sourav Ganguly, who had threatened to quit playing for Bengal if the Dalmiya camp did not stop attacking his family, especially his elder brother Snehasish - the CAB assistant secretary during the previous regime.

''Please think positive. This is a non-issue, a dead issue,'' he said.

Dalmiya further stated that he was ready to bury the hachet and would seek Ganguly's advice on cricketing matters.

''Why shouldn't I? After all he is the former skipper of the Indian team.'' Speaking on his one and a half year of struggle during which he faced court cases, arrests and corruption allegations, Dalmiya said, ''I had two options. Either I could withdraw from cricket administration as a tainted man, or I could fight. I chose the latter path.'' UNI XC AB RAR PM1718