By Qaiser Mohammad AliNew Delhi, Nov 11 : Pardeep Kumar Arora, who was described as a ‘mystery’ candidate for a director’s post of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), says he has “made history” by securing 92 votes, importantly without belonging to either group that fought the elections.
Arora, an insurance businessman, finished last of the nine candidates who contested for four available posts of directors, said if he could win so many votes on his own and without spending money, he would perform still better the next time.The next full-fledged DDCA elections — for the posts of all 12 directors — would be due in June.
“Nobody knew who Pardeep Kumar Arora was when he filed his nomination.He didn’t belong to any of the two major groups that contested elections,” a senior DDCA member told IANS.
Some DDCA members floated a story that Arora had wanted to pull out of the race but could not because he had forgotten the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
A DDCA member said that when Arora was contacted to remind about the deadline for candidates to withdraw nominations — between 11 am and 1 pm on October 17 — he had said that he was too far from the DDCA headquarters, the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds, to reach before the expiry of the deadline.
Arora, 51, trashed all such stories.“I did not forget the deadline.How can I forget it because I received and signed the letter that had the withdrawal mentioned in it?” Arora told IANS.
“On the contrary, I received a call from someone after 1 pm on the day of withdrawal of nominations, and the person said that they would wait for me to reach the Ferozeshah Kotla.I said the 1 pm deadline was already over, and I also told him that I would fight election.
How would have I got 92 votes if I had not wanted to contest?” he asked.
Arora alleged that people tried to create a misconception about him.“But never mind.If I have secured so many votes without spending any money this time, next time I will get more votes.
I fought the election as an independent candidate; I wasn’t aligned with any group.When history is written, it has to start somewhere.I have made history,” he said.
So, which of the two groups that contested the elections created the misconception?
“I can’t say that for sure because I can’t ascertain who started this misconception.My name as a contesting candidate was printed in newspapers, it was on the DDCA website as well, and it was also on the ballot paper.I have been a DDCA member since 1996,” said Arora.
A DDCA member cited a strange reason for Arora polling as many 92 votes.“Arora’s first name is Pardeep, which was also the first of Pradeep Aggarwal.And in the ballot paper, Arora’s name was printed above Pradeep Aggarwal’s.So, perhaps, the members ended up voting for Pardeep Arora even when they actually wanted to vote for Pradeep Aggarwal,” he said.
Arora rubbished this reasoning as well.“Besides being a DDCA member since 1996, I am also a member of Roshanara Club since 1995.There are 140-150 members common in both clubs.Therefore, if I polled 92 votes, people should not be surprised,” he said
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