Focus is on grassroots cricket, infrastructure development, says Rohan Jaitley after his re-election

New Delhi, Dec 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley secured his second term in office, reaffirming the members' confidence in his leadership with an "absolute mandate". A day after his re-election, Jaitley, who defeated former Indian cricketer and sitting Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad, pledged to prioritise promoting grassroots-level cricket and pursue significant infrastructural developments in his next tenure.

Rohan, the son of late Union Minister Arun Jaitley, received 1,577 votes against Azad’s 777, marking a decisive victory for his leadership team. The Jaitley-CK Khanna group dominated the elections, clinching all twelve positions in the managing committee.

Addressing the media called by DDCA's Apex Council on Tuesday, Rohan Jaitley emphasised his commitment to enhancing cricket in Delhi, with a special focus on grassroots club cricket and modernising facilities.

"We have received an absolute mandate from the association. All twelve positions on the board have been unanimously entrusted to us by the association’s members. Our intent is clear: we are committed to delivering on the promises we have made. We will ensure that our work is completed efficiently and on time. Our primary focus is to elevate cricket in Delhi, particularly grassroots-level cricket, while also pursuing infrastructural growth," Jaitley told IANS.

Jaitley outlined his vision to strengthen club cricket and improve revenue models, infrastructure, and deliverables. Plans to expand cricket infrastructure, including the development of a new stadium, were also discussed. "In the immediate future, our goal is to enhance grassroots club cricket in terms of revenue, growth, and deliverables. This includes improving infrastructure and exploring opportunities for the expansion of a new cricket stadium," Jaitley stated.

Acknowledging the recent concerns regarding the selection process, Jaitley assured that any shortcomings would be addressed promptly. "We are aware of recent complaints about the selection process. We will thoroughly address these issues and ensure any flaws are resolved effectively," he added.

The DDCA elections also saw Shikha Kumar emerge victorious for the vice-president's post, defeating Rakesh Kumar Bansal and Sudhir Kumar Agarwal. Shikha secured 1,246 votes, while Bansal and Agarwal received 536 and 498 votes, respectively. The contest for the secretary's position was closely fought between the Jaitley camp's Ashok Sharma and Vinod Tihara. Sharma eventually pulled ahead, securing 893 votes to Tihara's 744.

Speaking after his victory, DDCA Secretary Ashok Sharma reflected on the challenges faced by cricket in Delhi over the years and the plans to address them. Sharma emphasised the lack of infrastructure in earlier years and praised the current developments under Rohan Jaitley's leadership. "The infrastructure was not there earlier; there was no proper system to play cricket. The grounds used to be small, but now there are bigger grounds, though still far from the city. However, the biggest issue was the absence of a new stadium," Sharma noted.

He credited the transformation of the stadium to Rohan Jaitley and his late father, Arun Jaitley, who resolved significant financial and administrative hurdles during his tenure. "When Arun Ji took over as DDCA president in 2000, there were numerous technical issues related to the MCD and government. However, under his leadership, those challenges were overcome. Today, the stadium stands as one of the best in India, with world-class facilities, including toilets, gyms, and seating infrastructure," Sharma added.

Sharma also spoke about the upcoming facilities for DDCA's clubhouse members. Addressing a long-standing demand, Sharma revealed that work on a restaurant and bar for members is already underway. "We have floated a tender, and this project will be operational within 10-20 days. The members wanted a comfortable place to sit, a good restaurant, and a bar, and we are fulfilling that demand," he said.

On cricket-related challenges, Sharma highlighted his 30-32 years of experience as a club cricketer and his understanding of the issues faced by clubs. He assured clubs of his support, particularly on the contentious voting rights issue, which is currently under legal review. "Voting rights are a legal matter. The courts have already rejected the proposition, and it now lies within the jurisdiction of the Company Law Board, as our association is registered under company law. However, I promise that if clubs get voting rights in any way, I will be the first person to stand with them," Sharma affirmed.

Source: IANS