Finance Minister Eatala Rajender was elected president of the newly formed Telangana Cricket Association here on Sunday.
Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was made its chief patron while patrons included Rajya Sabha member Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, Chevella MP Konda Visweswara Reddy and Vedire Sriram.
The newly elected body also has TRS MP of Zaheerabad B.B. Patil, retired High Court judges B. Sudarshan Reddy and C.V. Ramulu, Mr. Suresh Reddy, Mallepalli Laxmaiah and TDP MP T. Devender Goud’s son Veerender Goud as vice-presidents. Speaking to media persons later, the Finance Minister said TCA was not formed as a parallel association to any other body as it was set up only to promote cricketers in rural areas. However, he criticised Hyderabad Cricket Association which is affiliated to Board of Control for Cricket in India, recalling allegations of corruption against the body. He said HCA was confined to protecting the interests of a few individuals.
The TCA will work to see that cricket is not meant only for the rich people, he added.
Sources in HCA said the formation of TCA by big-wigs in politics across party lines can only be a deterrent to some of the avoidable practices in HCA. Serious doubts cropped up about the legality of TCA when HCA is already functioning as the affiliate of all powerful BCCI at the national level. HCA caters to the “needs and aspirations” of Telangana region (even in the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh) as an autonomous body. So, there is no way the TCA is going to be recognised and it can at best only be a watchdog unit. “We have nothing to do with it. Yes, any constructive criticism is always welcome,” says HCA secretary K. John Manoj.
