THERE is much more than meets the eye in the just-concluded Cricket Club of India (CCI) elections. The South Mumbai club held its Annual General Meeting on Friday and elected Y P Trivedi as president. This, despite opposition candidate for president, Badal Mittal winning the vote.

Mittal surrendered the president position to Y P Trivedi. This bizarre development has given rise to talk about a, "compromise" been worked out between Trivedi and Mittal. Rumours are flying about that Trivedi (80) will remain president for three months, after which he will give the presidency to Mittal.

No deal

Mittal, who had used 'youth and energy' as his political plank before giving the presidency to an 80-year-old man, denies there is any compromise and says, "I gave the presidency to Y P Trivedi because he is the person who can bring cricket back long-term to the Brabourne Stadium. He is Sharad Pawar's right hand man. What difference does it make if I am the vice-president or president? As it is, I function virtually like the president of the club."  

Trivedi too rubbished talks of any, "compromise deal" and asked, "What deal are you talking about? I think you are looking for some controversy." When told that there is talk in the club about a deal being struck, he said, "People will talk, what can one do?"

Some members insist that there are games being played in the corridors of power in the club. A disgusted voter says, "After all those statements, obviously there is some kind of deal here. Maybe we should call it the Compromise Club of India (CCI)."