BJP continues to target BCA

Vadodara: The city unit of the BJP continued to target the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) over the issue of the membership of the cricketing body ahead of the BCA’s annual general meeting. On Saturday, the party came up with a list of BCA members who it claimed were not residents of Vadodara which was a violation of BCA’s constitution.
On Friday, a political party had got involved in the BCA’s matters publicly for the first time. BJP city unit president Dr Vijay Shah and MP Ranjan Bhatt had addressed the media over the membership issue. Shah had also raised the issue with BCA earlier.
The BJP had said that people interested in cricket, educational institutes and sports clubs or gymkhanas should be made members of the association. Shah had also pointed out that the membership of some institutes had been withdrawn. He had also hinted at favouritism within BCA while making members.
At the same time, Shah had clarified that the party was not aiming to interfere in the management of BCA which was in good hands. He had also said that the new cricket stadium would not have been possible without the efforts of those at the helm of affairs.
Shah on Saturday went public with a list of 47 members who were not residents of Vadodara. Shah pointed out that as per the rules of BCA any person who has completed 18 years of age and is a resident of Vadodara or any club or institution within the jurisdiction of the association were eligible for membership. The list included IPL founder Lalit Modi who is a patron of BCA, one vice-patron, 23 ordinary members and 22 life members who were not residents of Vadodara and were still BCA members. Shah demanded that their membership be cancelled and new members be included.