Kalyan Chaubey, a former goalkeeper and now BJP leader from Bengal, is the frontrunner for the presidency of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Chaubey had filed his nomination for the top post from Gujarat, seconded by Arunachal Pradesh, for the now-postponed August 28 elections and is likely to succeed Praful Patel uncontested when elections are held on September 2. Once the modified election schedule is uploaded on the AIFF website, the member-associations of the 35 states and Union Territories will have a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Chaubey could bepresent at the meeting. If everything goes accordingly, the state football associations will put up a unanimous panel for the elections. NA Haris (Congress MLA and president of the Karnataka State Football Association) could be the vice-president and Kipa Ajay (secretary of Arunachal Pradesh Football Association) is the frontrunner for the treasurer’s post. “We do not want contest but, for that, a lot of competent people will be left out,” a source told The Telegraph on Tuesday.
It remains to be seen how Shaji Prabhakaran, Football Delhi president, who, along with Haris, had filed for the top post for the August 28 elections, is fitted in the changed scenario. Prabhakaran could be the secretary-general or the chief executive officer.
The future of Indian Football Association president Ajit Banerjee, brother of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, remains unclear. Till late on Tuesday he hasn’t shown interest in contesting any post. According to the modified rules, 17 members (including one president, one treasurer and one vice-president) will be elected by the electoral college consisting of 35 member associations.
A united front is the only option because of the tricky rules. No person will be eligible to propose or second more than one candidate for the same post. That means for 14 executive committee posts, 28 members will be needed. If there is a contest itwill not be possible for candidates to find adequate proposers and seconders. Earlier in the day, Sunando Dhar the acting general secretary, requested Fifa to lift the ban.
