CAN went into the process of election despite the disapproval of its president Tanka Angbuhang and his supporters (10 members) as well as the NSC, the sports governing body of the country.Despite the attendance of majority of the delegates, the formal process of the general assembly started four hours late. The general assembly turned tense after two factions of the association got engaged in heated arguments. Security forces deputed at the venue had to intervene to bring the situation under control.
CAN President Angbuhang's supporters, including Vice-president Keshab Ghimire, were involved in inciting the argument along with other Maoist cadres, who presented placards with different messages.
Angbuhang is the Central Committee member of the UCPN (Maoist) and Ghimire is a cadre of the party.
The dissident faction began interfering during the inauguration ceremony while CAN Senior Vice-president Chatur Bahadur Chand, also the chairperson of the assembly, was addressing the event.
Chand chaired the assembly after receiving overwhelming support of 71 delegates among the 81 after President Angbuhang did not turn up for the election process.
The assembly also faced a big blow as Minister for Youth and Sports Satya Narayan Mandal, who was invited as chief guest, did not show up at the inauguration ceremony. Finally, Nepal Congress lawmaker Dhanaraj Gurung arrived to inaugurate ceremony.
"Minister Mandal had confirmed this morning that he shall attend the general assembly. However, he did not come saying the he had to visit Solukhumbu," said CAN Vice-president Ashok Nath Pyakurel.
CAN was forced to go into the general assembly as the four-year term of the current executive committee will end by Wednesday and the NSC is all set to introduce new Cricket Board to replace the current association through legal process.
Fearing the NSC move, majority of the CAN members wanted to give a legal status to the association with the election process.
"We are almost sure that the NSC will dissolve the current Cricket Association of Nepal and replace it with a new board. So our only option is to knock the door of the court," said a representative, who has been supporting the current process.
NSC Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista, a CPN-UML cadre, is all prepared to introduce a separate cricket board accusing the members involved in the assembly of violating legal process during selection of delegates.
Besides, the NSC has also not sent its election committee for the CAN general assembly. However, majority of the members of CAN believe that they have been following all legal processes.
Bista trying to fulfill his personal motive: Gurung
Nepal Congress lawmaker Dhanaraj Gurung blamed that the NSC Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista has been interfering in the affairs of CAN to fulfill his personal motives.
"The NSC should have sent election committee for the assembly. However, Bista has been interfering in the process to fulfill his personal motive for political gain," said Gurung.
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