Hyderabad, June 29: The gloves are off and a bare-knuckle confrontation between AP Olympic Association president and MP Lagadapati Rajagopala Rao and fellow Congress MP and association member V Hanumantha Rao looks imminent.
Already seething over “irregularities” in the conduct of elections to the body on June 21, Hanumantha Rao blew his top on Sunday when he received a legal notice from Rajagopal and said he would challenge the election in court.
The two leaders had traded charges during the elections, and even as Hanumantha Rao was pointing out alleged irregularities in the process, Lagadapati’s election as president was announced. On Sunday, Hanumantha Rao said he would take up the issue with the Indian Olympic Association and Union Sports Ministry, and would also bring the “murky goings-on” to the the notice of the party high command. He alleged that Rajagopal had “hijacked” the elections by “not allowing any one to contest”. According to the rules of the association, the elections should be conducted by the general secretary, but instead took place under the aegis of Central observer Gurmeeth Singh, he pointed out. On election day, Rajagopal sent the general secretary and returning officer Ramulu out of the election room. Even voters like him were not allowed, he alleged.
Meanwhile, Rajagopal filed a caveat in court making himself and Kodanda Ramaiah parties, Hanumantha Rao said.
This was nothing but an attempt to protect his interests, he alleged. In the wake of the notice given to him, he had decided to approach court, and also lodge a complaint with president of the Indian Olympic Association Suresh Kalmadi and Union Sports Minister MS Gill.
Hanumantha Rao feared for the state of sport if associations were made fiefdoms of individuals. In fact, this is why the nation performed so pathetically in the Olympics, he lamented. He urged the government not to recognise the AP Olympic Association and not to consider its recommendations.
In the wake of allegations of harassment of women cricketers and now the “irregularities” in the Olympic Association, Hanumantha Rao appealed to Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy to take a serious look at the conduct of sports in the State.
–Agencies–