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Pawar extends olive branch to Wadekar
By Shiv Kumar
Jan 20, 2001, 15:30 Hrs (IST)

Mumbai: Patch-up moves have begun within the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) a day after the state's former chief minister Sharad Pawar was elected as the body's new president.

Extending an olive branch to Ajit Wadekar, India's former Test captain and coach, Pawar told journalists on Saturday morning, "My committee will work together for the betterment of cricket. Now we will no more talk of groups. Even Mr Wadekar will be involved in the management of the body."

Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), defeated Wadekar by 60 votes in the Friday election. Out of MCA's 322 affiliated clubs, only 311 cast their votes. Three candidates for the cricket association's managing committee - former wicket-keeper Chandrakant Pandit, all-rounder Karsan Ghavri and Aroon Samsi - did not vote as they were out of town.

Former cricketers like C Dilip Sardesai and Dilip Vengsarkar backed Pawar for the association's top post, while the MCA's outgoing president and Union Heavy Industries minister Manohar Joshi backed Wadekar.

India Abroad News Service

Extras:
MCA polls: Wadekar fails to read Pawar flipper