Rajasthan Cricket Association elections to be held on April 8, Dhananjay Singh Khinvsar speculated to be next chief

The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) is gearing up to elect its new president on April 8. The Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Arora has released the full election schedule, with Dhananjay Singh Khinvsar considered to be the frontrunner to be the next chief.

The election is being held in the middle of controversies over the removal of BJP leaders Parakram Singh and Brij Kishore Upadhyay from the RCA's list of office-bearers. This has cleared the path for Dhananjay, son of state Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar, who is being speculated to win.

As per the schedule, the final voter list will be published on April 3 after hearing objections. Nominations can be filed on April 4 between 11am-5pm, followed by their scrutiny on April 5. The final list of candidates will be out on April 6, with the last date for withdrawal being April 7.

Also read: Vaibhav Gehlot steps down as RCA chief in wake up no-confidence motion

With backing from current RCA executive members Bhavani Samota and Nagaur Secretary Rajendra Singh Nandu, Dhananjay is seen as the clear frontrunner. He was recently appointed as the acting RCA president as well. The duo, along with supporting district associations, are strategizing for Dhananjay's permanent promotion.

However, BJP's Brij Kishore Upadhyay has termed the election process as completely wrong, alleging that the Congress executive is trying to conceal wrongdoings. He has threatened to lodge complaints with the electoral officer and will approach courts to prevent corruption from retaining control of RCA.

Vaibhav Gehlot stepped down as RCA chief recently

The cricketing community was shocked after Vaibhav Gehlot, the former president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), announced his resignation recently. Gehlot's decision came after a no-confidence motion against him, which he claimed he did not have any clue about.

The Rajasthan Sports Council (RSC) had decided to seal off the RCA premises. Just a few days prior, the RSC issued a notice to the RCA, stating that their agreement concerning the Rajasthan Cricket Academy and the SMS Stadium had expired. The RSC demanded the return of control over these facilities, effectively barring the RCA from using the cricket ground and its associated offices.