KOLKATA (India): The power struggle in the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has done little good to the sport’s development with AICF president P Venketrama Raja secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan involved in a proxy war over Bengal Chess Association (BCA).
While the president supports BCA secretary Atanu Lahiri in the battle against Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, who is backed by Chauhan.
The conflict-ridden body has called for a special general body meeting on February 9 in Ahmedabad to elect new office-bearers.
The current brawl between Raja and Chauhan reminds us of an ugly battle that was fought between former president PT Umer Koya and Chauhan, who led a coup against the incumbent in 2001.
During that era, corruption had hit the sport under Koya who virtually controlled Indian chess with an iron hand.
Dribble for power has only intensified
However, the check-and-mate process is still on as the dribble for power in the Indian chess has only intensified in the last 19 years.
Last week, the president’s faction through a press release claimed that Barua’s allegations of misappropriation of funds levelled against Lahiri was rejected at the Special General Meeting (SGM) in Bhopal.
However, Chauhan said that there will be an independent inquiry by a retired High Court judge against Lahiri.
Faction rivalry within the AICF is nothing new, but the direct involvement of AICF president and secretary in Bengal chess has exposed the political side of the national federation.
The February 9 general body meeting comes after the three meetings held on December 14, 22 and 28 last year.
At the December 28 meeting in Bhopal, the AICF decided to conduct the special general body meeting on February 9 during which the elections would be held.
According to the notice, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Arijit Pasayat will be the Returning Officer for the elections.
Polls in Ahmedabad
The polls will be held to elect the president, six vice-presidents, one honorary secretary, six joint secretaries and one treasurer.
1. Elections to the office-bearers for the term 2020-2023 for the following posts. One President, Six Vice-Presidents, One Hon Secretary, Six Joint Secretaries and One Treasurer, 2. To pass appropriate resolutions after the new office-bearers are elected, 3. Any other matter with the permission of the Chair,” the notice read.
The notice said 13 state associations — Bihar, Meghalaya, Gujarat, Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Assam — had called for the meeting with an agenda to hold the elections.
