Rajasthan: Rift deepens in RCA Ad Hoc Committee as factions come out in open

Jaipur, Oct 17 (IANS) The internal conflict within the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) shows no signs of easing. Sharp differences surfaced between committee members and convener DD Kumawat during Friday’s ad hoc committee proceedings, with the dispute now escalating to the Lokpal.

Kumawat, responding to allegations, stated firmly: “If the corruption charges against me are proven, I will resign and leave on my own.”

Meanwhile, members accused Kumawat of taking unilateral decisions. Ad hoc committee member Dhananjay Singh Khinvsar, speaking to the media in Jaipur, alleged that Kumawat did not attend Friday’s meeting and had been making unilateral decisions despite the requirement for collective consent from all four committee members.

Along with Ashish Tiwari and Pinkesh Jain, Khinvsar addressed a press conference accusing Kumawat of bypassing the procedure.

“DD Kumawat had no right to disqualify the Jodhpur District Cricket Association (DCA),” Khinvsar claimed, adding that members were neither consulted on this decision nor on the appointment of the ombudsman.

He further pointed out that no official meeting had been held for the past three and a half months, and decisions were now being made single-handedly.

“We will now decide on the composition of the selection committee,” he added. Khinvsar said that Ashish Tiwari, Pinkesh Porwal, and he himself were present at Friday’s meeting, while the fourth member, Mohit Yadav, was absent.

Later, DD Kumawat reached the RCA office and presented his side, dismissing the charges as baseless. “Those who called the meeting had no authority,” he asserted.

“I received the notice only late last night by email. Moreover, they are suspended under a High Court order.” Kumawat also emphasised that the meeting was not urgent and should have been called with at least seven days’ notice.

“Dhananjay Singh is like my younger brother, but he must follow the law,” he said, clarifying that all tender-related work currently remains under the ad hoc committee’s purview.

He added that one of the three members who attended the meeting was suspended, rendering the meeting invalid. “If the allegations of corruption against me are proven, I will resign and leave. The Lokpal is already investigating the matter, and I will comment only after their findings,” Kumawat reiterated.

For several months, the RCA’s ad hoc committee has been divided over questions of authority and decision-making. The prolonged infighting has started affecting Rajasthan’s cricketing operations — delaying upcoming tournaments and creating uncertainty for players representing the state.

--IANS

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