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Triangular fight to spice up Golf Club election today
Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are over and in the state capital and now Sunday will see another ballot contest. The Lucknow Golf Club members will elect its new office bearers. A series of lavish parties, flood of SMSs and WhatsApp messages, phone calls, flashy profiles and manifestos, full use of social networking mediums and personal visits, contestants are using multi-dimensional approach to woo the 1857 members of the preindependence era club.
PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY
Three teams are in the fray and they have floated their contestants in which two are in “strategic alliance” for the top two posts. The last two terms had bureaucrat Navneet Sehgal nominated as club’s president. This time retired government officials Desh Deepak Verma and Capt SK Dwivedi are contesting for the top post and leading their teams. Interestingly, the third team led by businessman Rajnish Chopra has no candidate for president’s post. His team is supporting Desh Deepak Verma for the same.
Based on a tacit understanding, Rajnish Chopra is fighting for the honorary secretary post against Anupam Chaturvedi. In this contest he is being supported by DD Verma who has not fielded any candidate for the said position.
“We both have our teams but we are formed a strategic alliance for president and secretary’s post. For remaining positions we will have a friendly contest,” tells Verma, who is currently chairman UP Electricity Regulatory Commission and has been president of the club in 2010-11 for 10 months.
Meanwhile, Capt Dwivedi, a regular golfer, has big plans for the sport and its play area. “This is first a golf course and then a club. So, I want to bring improvement in the ground for the betterment of the club. Rarely, we get such a ground in the heart of the city so we should take it to new heights,” he says.
The biggest issue with the club is renewal of its lease with La Martiniere College that has expired on 2008 and could not be renewed till date. This has stopped the club from renovation and expansion. All teams are bringing up this concern which they see as a “threat” to the club’s progress.
“The issue of lease renewal is something everyone wants to get solved as soon as possible and we will work towards it. Also, I will apply my management and managerial skills in running the club. For the time being, portable-cabins in unutilised area, infra-upgrade, basic amenities for golfers and improvement in food are some of the things that the club needs urgently,” tells Chopra, who was also ex-president of La Martiniere Alumni Association. Meanwhile, his opponent Anupam Chaturvedi tells HT City, “After retirement I can devote a good amount of time to the club and try to resolve the prevailing problem. It’s sad the facilities have gone down and people give example of MB Club and Gymkhana.” DD Verma was seen supporting Team Chopra at his bash on Friday. Team Dwivedi held a bash on Thursday. Privately, individual candidates have held relay party for members in the last few days.
CAPTAIN
For Captain’s post, which is golfers’ domain, there is a triangular contest between Maj Gen AK Parmar, Rakesh Seth and JPS Sial. All three of them are golfers. Rakesh is brother of outgoing captain Adesh Seth, who will serve the cooling period. Experienced Parmar is Indian Golf Union ex-office bearer while businessman Sial has good support from both players and non-players.
JOINT SECRETARY AND TREASURER
There is again a triangular fight between Sudhakar Rastogi, Umesh Jaiswal and Anil Agarwal for joint secretary and treasurer’s post. Rastogi, a passport officer, was last term’s highest voted committee member.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Ten candidates are in the fray of which six members will be selected in the management committee.
Two candidates Urmila Singh and Divyank Khanna are said to getting support from all the three teams. Other contestants in fray are Dr Rashmi Dhaon, Jitendra Kumar, Sanjay Madan, Sharad Sharma, Rajneesh Kr Seth, Ankit Khandelwal and Labeer S Bhisht.
In the last elections around 900 members had cast their votes and this term with an addition of 100-odd new members, the club management expects about 1000-1100 members to exercise their franchise on Sunday.
“Chief Minister’s oath taking ceremony will also take place on the same day so some government officials may miss the voting. It is going to be a good contest as all are friends and acquaintances. We all hope that the new team improves facilities and food in the club,” says Ashok Kumar Agarwal, a club member for 30 years. Justice KS Rakhra will be the election officer for the contest.