India’s cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not eligible to vote or contest elections in his home state, Jharkhand.
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), has made Dhoni only an honorary member, which implies that he can’t participate in association’s decision-making.
Reacting to the issue, Suresh Kumar, an association member, who happens to be an ardent fan of Dhoni, said, “If anybody in India deserves a place in the JSCA on the basis of contribution to the game, it is Dhoni.
According to JSCA’s former member, Sunil Singh, a few influential members are trying to bring in friends and relatives as proxies to continue their dominance.
“Jharkhand Ranji players like Pradeep Khanna and Adil Hussain have not been allowed to be a part of the JSCA, while businessmen and prominent personalities who have no knowledge of the game are enjoying the membership,” said Singh.
However, the association claimed that the debate is unwarranted as Dhoni is still playing for the country.
“Honorary membership is a mark of respect. What he (Dhoni) has done for Indian cricket cannot be measured. I don’t understand why there is hullabaloo over his honorary membership,” said Amitabh Choudhary, the JSCA president and acting secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“It will be an honour for us to have Dhoni as a permanent member,” Choudhary added.