The Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) which has, over the years, gained a reputation for working in strange ways, suffered another blot on its image when the senior functionaries of the body clashed with each other in an ugly brawl during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the body.

The appalling pictures of the rancorous fight have gone viral on social media and have prompted strong condemnation from various quarters. Leading the way is the outspoken former Indian opening batsman and now an MP from Delhi Gautam Gambhir. Taking to Twitter, the cricketer-turned politician requested BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to dissolve DDCA.

"DDCA GOES "ALL OUT"...AND DDCA IS ALL OUT FOR A SHAMEFUL DUCK. Look, how handful of crooks are making mockery of an institution. I'd urge @BCCI @SGanguly99 @JayShah to dissolve @delhi_cricket immediately. Surely, sanctions or even a life ban for those involved," Gambhir wrote on his timeline.

News agency ANI quoted a source within the organisation as claiming that "The AGM was disrupted by supporters of DDCA general secretary Vinod Tihara after resolution three, four and removal of Justice (Retd) Badar Durrez Ahmed was defeated by almost 75 per cent of the members."

DDCA Fight
DDCA members fight amongst themselves during AGMTwitter

The source further added: "The supporters of Tihara also manhandled MLA Om Prakash Sharma. After their agenda was defeated, (the) meeting was deliberately disrupted. The attendance register was also snatched."

However, at a time when the interface of cricket and politics is at a high, all sorts of theories are being propounded as to the causes of the riotous behaviour of the participants. One such theory was put out by former diplomat and a critic of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) KC Singh.

He wrote on his Twitter account: "Amit Shah ordered ejection of Rajat Sharma – the incumbent president who was voted out but refuses to quit. Arun Jaitley group implodes as master is gone & new masters want power. So, it's not so Delhi; it's just politics," Singh wrote on his timeline in response to a comment by journalist Shivam Vij.

The AGM was being held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Feroze Shah Kotla. The internal power struggles in the DDCA have existed alongside allegations of malpractice by critics of the body. Even the late Arun Jaitley, former president of the association, had been targeted by his opponents for alleged corruption in the running of the organisation as well as in the renovation of the stadium.

Rajat Sharma, former president of DDCA had resigned from his post citing pressures on him and his unwillingness to compromise with "principles of integrity." Things are only getting murkier in the organisation. 

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