Tuesday, September 26 2006 11:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Incumbent Sharad Pawar is virtually assured of being elected unopposed as BCCI president, even as the opposition group led by Jagmohan Dalmiya continues to play a guessing game on whether it would put up candidates for top posts in the BCCI AGM slated for September 27 and 28 in Mumbai.

The Dalmiya group Monday (25 Sep, 2006) holds hectic parleys here to formulate a strategy on the possibility of throwing a challenge to the ruling faction in elections for post of secretary, treasurer and joint secretary.

Former BCCI Joint secretary Gautam Dasgupta, who would represent the Dalmiya leads Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) at the AGM, does not give a categorical reply when asked whether he is being considered a candidate for secretary post.

"Nothing has been decided as yet," Dasgupta tells.

Meanwhile sources close to Dalmiya say that the group has not been able to find a suitable candidate from the west zone to take on Pawar.

As per the BCCI rotational policy for its presidential election, candidates for the top post this time have to be nominated from the west zone, which is considered a strong hold of the Pawar lobby.

The sources, however, say, "we are neither confirming nor denying that we may field candidates for slots other than that of president. Discussions are on."